Grim Devils (Discontinued)
by MikeX713
Summary: Currently working on the new version. Leaving this up for those that like the old. Want to see the new story, its the same name but just High School DxD
1. Chapter 1

Author- MikeX713

Disclaimer, I don't own anything here but the OCs. I do not own Dante's Inferno or HighschoolDxD. Please don't sue me.

* * *

Running, that's what I'm doing… thankfully this time I'm mostly clothed. My name is Dante Alighieri, I'm a sophomore in high school in my home city of Florence Italy. Right now I'm running, not for my life or anything crazy like that. No… I'm just running because of a big misunderstanding.

"Get back here you little pervert!"

"I take offence to that sir!" Dante yelled back at the pursuing man.

I hate it when they call me that. I'm not a pervert. I simply am a caring man that tries to hard… that doesn't sound too good. I'll explain. Last night I was walking through one of the several parks in Florence, I highly recommend it if you need to think clearly, and I came across a sobbing girl. I did the gentlemanly thing to do and asked what was wrong. She told me that her boyfriend had dumped her for some whore with bigger breasts. The nerve of the bastard, such a deplorable reason. After I calmed her down and took her for some coffee… well things moved forward as they so often do. But. And this is a big but. But I never touched her. Yes, we did end up in her room. Yes, I slept in her bed. But nothing happened. And then this morning happened. The brother had heard what happened and came in to try in comfort her, good man, but… he caught me on her balcony doing my morning prayers and then jumped to the wrong idea.

"Quit running you bastard!"

"(sigh) I hate the brothers, fathers quit running after me by the first block. Brothers always run forever." Dante looked around for any quick escape routes. With none in sight he kept running.

Four hours later Dante fell down on his family's couch.

"Damn bastard… I didn't even do anything this time." Date groaned, his voice muffled by the pillow in his face.

"Welcome home son." Dante's mother said as she walked into the room. He could hear the sound of her jewelry, she always wore too much. "Did you find another young girl to pass your time."

My mother, she always loved the good life. Before it was my father who give it to her and now it's my stepdad. She certainly could be called a gold digger but in my opinion she hasn't gotten that far. She'll still call out my stepdad on his BS though I'm sure she ends up paying for it later in the form of certain services to him. I don't really care, she's happy most of the time and that's better than not at all. She does care about me, my older brother and my younger sister far more than that slob of a husband she has, but from what I remember of my dad he wasn't much better. And the thing is she didn't merry either for their money. She already had it. My family owns a massive shipping company, we control almost all of the shipping in the Mediterranean and have been moving into the Indian Ocean and have begun taking steps to the Pacific. What does that have to do with the men in my mom's life? Well… she's lazy and doesn't want to run the company so she found someone who could. Then my older brother happened. Then me. And then my younger sister. Then my dad died and she found my stepdad.

My stepdad doesn't own the company, my mom does but he runs it now that my brother step down. For three years my brother ran the company and brought it more success in three years than the last three decades. But then he almost OD. We hadn't known about his drug problem but it wasn't really thought about, the sad ones were the board of directors. I knew he would be fine with all the money we have and my sister wasn't told anything about it. So for the last two years my stepdad has taken control of the company. At best he's made slow progress, at worse he's kept the status quo. It's not like he beats me or my sister, he's just in this family for the company and my mom. He doesn't care about me any more than a piece on a game board. To be used and played with on occasion.

"No." Dante said rising his head above the pillow. "I just tried to do the right thing."

"I see… well I'm sure you'll be on your best behavior at your new school right?" Dante's mother said as she sat next to her son. "I don't want to find out that you have gotten some girl…"

"Mom! I'm not that stupid."

That was my last resort plan and I'm hoping it won't come to that. Why would I say something like that? Normally that was the one thing that every teenage boy dreaded. But not for me, that was my back up back up back up plan. Currently I'm in an arranged marriage. I know it isn't the most common or legal thing anymore but it's more like if I refuse then I'll be disowned. And while that may not sound that bad at the end of the day it's a lot worse in my family. To be disowned is the same as a death sentence, my stepdad has kept the company afloat by using our ships to smuggle everything from drugs to shoes… yes shoes. Anyone that he disowns from the family will end up being framed for crimes that he himself did.

"Yes I know." Dante's mother slightly laughed at this. "Listen, I know your upset with your stepfather but just know he's doing his best while your brother recovers. Sometimes that means some of us need to give up a little of our freedom."

"Or all of it." Dante mumbled.

Beatrice Portinari. She was the girl that my parents had planned for me merry. If I have to be honest, I'm not mad at the fact that they did it but it was how. Oh don't get me wrong, I hate the idea of an arranged marriage with a burning passion. Love is random, love is unexpected, love cannot be forced or more accurate it shouldn't be. And that brings me to Beatrice. Every single moment in our relationship had been planned out and staged by our parents. Our first meeting, our second meeting, our first date and so on. I only learned of the truth from her brother who I still hold great respect for. Even though Francesco still wants me to marry his sister I cannot hold ill will to him. But her, I most certainly can. She had learned the truth halfway in our relationship and continued on with it. She had already decided that I was hers and she was mine. I had tried to find ways out of this farce of a union… if you hadn't noticed by now I like dramatic wording. My current plan is to move far away and hide. Like a coward. A very handsome and smart coward.

"In any case once you return from Japan we will begin planning the wedding." Dante's mother said as she stood back up. "I do hope that you cool down by the time you return." She said before leaving her son to brood.

Return? Never! Eah… I hope. In two days I leave for Japan to go to private school. I had convinced my stepfather that it would help me make connections to the children of powerful people in that part of the world. The slob actually said he was proud of me for my good idea. It almost made the entire plan not worth it. I would be living with my best friend Minamoto Soshitsu. How does a boy from Florence have a best friend in Japan? Simple, when his father leaves him for a whole month in the foreign. He had accidently left me there on one of his business trips when I was five. Thankfully Minamoto and his family found me and took care of me until my brother found out and came to get me. Since then we had stayed in contact through the internet and a few trips. He's a bit depressing and way into American goth culture but it's just his surface, don't tell anyone but his dream is to one day be a judge. Right now he lives by himself and works as a mechanic but is going to night school and taking courses online.

The school I'm going to just opened up to boys this year. my stepfather didn't like the idea of me going there due to the chance I ruin his plans but all other schools that would give me any real connections were booked up and weren't accepting new students. Damn bastard's hands were tied. The school was called Kuoh Academy and look pretty nice. He would have three years there before he had to come home. Three years to either find a way out of his forced wedding or he would need to start thinking about the more drastic plans he had thought up.

* * *

Three days later.

Dante stretched his arms out. "Damn… that was not fun." Dante looked around for his friend, he wasn't hard to find, given that people stayed at least five feet away from him. Dante smiled as he looked over at his older friend. His long black and white hair stretched down to his back. His clothes all either black or white as well, and all straight out of some awfully cheesy high school movie where he would fit in with the goth kids. His face completed the look with several studs and rings with a painted pale face. Dante walked over to the older teen laughing.

"What's so funny?" Minamoto asked, his voice honest in his confusion.

"Oh nothing… it's just… ha-ha… I had always thought you were joking around when you sent the pictures." Minamoto just gave back a more confused look. He didn't understand what his friend meant by that.

"Anyways, I got the car all ready." Minamoto said as he led to the airport parking lot. "So it looks like you've been practicing your Japanese."

"Yeah, I have to say it was hard at first but with your help I feel quite used to it. That idea about watching a ton of anime didn't really help though. But I certainly enjoy it a lot more that I can understand it. The English dubbed stuff just takes to damn long to wait for."

"I didn't know you spoke English too."

"I speak English, Spanish, Italian of course, now Japanese, a little Arabic, and even some Korean. It comes from being the son of a shipping empire, need to talk to a lot of people in a lot of different ways."

"I guess that makes sense… right over there." Minamoto pointed over to a small compact car. "What?" Minamoto asked when he saw his friend's disappointed face.

"I was expecting a Hearse."

* * *

"…oh lord death, may my own days be long until the day I come to the moment that binds all beings in a shared experience. I give praise to your duty, your thankless duty to govern that which binds all things. I shall one day have honor of meeting your glory but I pled you for it not be today so that I may live to praise your name again."

"And you call me goth." Minamoto said from the balcony doorframe.

"It's something my grandfather taught me. He said to do it every morning no matter what or bad things will start to happen." Dante said as he stood back up. "I know I was just a kid when he told me but I still have this feeling that whenever I do it I'm making something happy. Who knows it might be death or it might be god, who cares. It can't hurt me to do it." Dante followed his friend back into the small apartment. It was early in the morning and the two had planned to stay in work on adjusting Dante to life in Japan.

"So I'm I going to have to worry about you bringing home chicks?" Minamoto joked as he sipped his coffee " _Damn! That is good stuff._ " Dante smiled, he knew that look on Minamoto's face.

"Don't worry buddy, as long as I'm here you'll have authentic Italian coffee every morning. And to answer question, I don't think so. But then again I'm a teen boy with a sexy accent."

"I'm going to need to get noise cancelling headphones aren't I?"

"I'm joking. That's only a last ditch plan." There was a deep quiet after that.

"Hey… I'm sorry man. I didn't mean to…"

"It's fine, I have time to find my way out of it."

"Hey… would it be so bad? I mean, not three months ago you couldn't stop talking about this girl. You really sounded like you loved her."

"That's the thing… I did. But it was all a lie and I think I could have gotten past that. The reasons might have been fake but I thought the love might have been. But… then I learned that she knew. She didn't know at first but after we had started going out as exclusive to each other her father told her about what they had done. I would have kept going if she had just told me. But she didn't."

"I'm sorry. Does she know that you're trying to get out of it?"

"I think so, she never said anything but when I left for the airport she said things that suggested that she knew. She was colder but at the same time she was all over me. I don't know what goes through her head anymore."

"Maybe you never did."

"Yeah… enough about this. Let's get to work… hand me those chopsticks! I shall master the art of eating food here!"

* * *

First day of school.

Dante was walking down the sidewalk to his new school. The last month had been fun, Minamoto had certainly been enjoying having Dante as his roommate. Dante had provided Minamoto with something glorious, his cooking. Before Dante had met Beatrice he had planned on becoming a chef, a classy one with one of those tall hats. Dante's older brother was the hair to the company, even still despite his issues something that made Dante cringe, and so Dante had been ignored as to what he wanted to do with his life. But now that Dante knew what his parents had planned he had realized that he wasn't being ignored because of his brother but because they already planned out to have him marry. And under that marriage he would likely be put in some part of the company so his stepfather could watch him all the time. It would be some low level job, high enough so it wouldn't rise any suspicions but low enough so Dante couldn't have any real power. Just where his father wanted him. Dante was nothing more than part of contact to Beatrice's father. Maybe once he somehow got out of his current pile of shit he would try to find work as a line cook. At least then he could do something he liked, it wouldn't be what he wanted be close enough.

Dante was snapped out of his deep thoughts when he walked on the school grounds and was surrounded by at the very least twenty female students. Everyone asking who he was and if he was single and other things of that nature. Dante was taken back by the forwardness of the girls.

"Le signore…" His Italian caused most to gasp and a few fainted but they all had turned a deep crimson color. "… I understand that you all want to talk with me but I need to get to homeroom." His ascent only caused more girls to crowd around him. He tried to let them all down softly and politely as he could but it was no use. As Dante looked around for any way out of his current predicament he noticed three guys on the grassy hill nearby, all of them had looks of pure jealousy. One with a shaved head, one with glasses, and one more normal looking. When he asked who they were the girls turned to the boys with death stares. They told Dante that they first years and that they were perverts and had been caught peeping numerus times even before school had started. Most of the girls pleaded Dante to stay far away from them. Dante smiled, he had found his way out. "Nonsense le signore. I'm sure that they have simply suffered from rumors and misunderstandings." The girls watch in horror as Dante began walking over to the trio. "Hello, my name is Dante Alighieri." Dante said with his hand outstretched to the most normal looking one, the other two he had no desire to touch. They looked rather… sticky.

"Ummm… I'm Issei Hyoudou." Issei as he shook the foreign teen's hand, his grip hurting Issei.

"Hey man! Why the fuck did you come over here when you had all those hotties all to yourself?!" the shaved head boy demanded.

"Because you three repel them and I need to get to homeroom." Dante said with a warm and kind smile that didn't match his cold words. The three boys sunk down to the ground form Dante's words. "Now Issei was it, you seem to be salvageable…" the other two sunk even lower. "… how would you like to get a girlfriend?" The three rows back up and each one had a fire in their eyes.

"You can do that?!"

"Don't fuck with us man!"

"Yes! God Yes!"

"Very good." Dante grabbed Issei by his collar and began dragging him to the group of girls still waiting for Dante to return. "Le signore! I come baring good news! I have taken this young moron under my wing. I swear to you that by the end of the school year I shall have turned this pervert in to a fine gentlemen and a man worthy of your attention and if I shall fail then I will go out on a date with each and every one of you." This caused the crowd of girls to yell out in excitement at that prospect.

* * *

Looking down on the spectacle in front of the school, Rias Gremory paid close attention to the second year boy as he dragged the first year to the school. Something felt different about the two of them. The one being dragged was something she understood, but the foreign teen felt very unusual. Even from the distance she could feel an icy chill to his soul.

"Akeno, that foreign second year. do you know who he is?" Rias said as she returned to her chess board.

"No I don't… why?"

"No real reason." Reason was about to move her rook when it slightly moved towards her hand. "Could you find out." Akeno looked down at her mistress with a look of surprise but quickly returned back to a smile.

"Of course."

* * *

Dante's plan had worked perfectly. Word soon spread of Dante's deceleration and not only had Issei worked as a repellent to the hordes of female student that a few of the other new male students had to deal with but his promise to change him had protected his still forming reputation. He would not be labeled a pervert. He had gotten to Homeroom quick enough and for fun had first introduced himself in his Italian causing all the female students to collectively blush.

Right now Dante was eating lunch on the roof of the school, he was currently alone and he liked it. For one thing he had made his own lunch and if the news got out that he could cook not even the repellent known as Issei could help him. He sighed at the thought that he would need to buy his lunch from now on. The lunch food that the school provided looked good but lacked any real verity.

"Hello there." Dante looked up to see a tall raven haired girl standing above. Had he been like Issei he would have taken this as an opportunity to look up her skirt but then again she would probably never have come up to him if he was like Issei.

"Ciao."

"Ou… Italian, I'm sure all the girls fall for that." Her voice was sweet and innocent but Dante could feel the intent behind her words and it made him smile.

"Girls like you?" Dante said bluntly.

"Oh I'm not like most girls, so are you from Italy or is this just an act?"

"I'm from Florence, it's a nice city. I recommended it to visit some time. But enough about me, why are you up here and asking me questions?"

"Can't a girl ask questions; that's how you make friends you know." She said as she sat down next to him. "So what'ch eating?" Dante didn't like this. She was digging for something. He knew how to read people for things like this, people had been trying to get information out of him all his life.

"It's called I'm not in the mood for games." Dante said as he closed up his lunch and stood up. "I know when someone has an ulterior motive, I learned that lesson the hard way." Dante said before walking to the door to the stairs.

"Well the president was right, he is different." Akeno said smiling, she now was also intrigued by the foreign teen.

* * *

The day had continued on without any more incidents. The classes were normal and he didn't have any homework as it was the first day. As he was walking back to his home away from not really home his smile was far from his face. The girl from the roof was on his mind and it had caused a frown to form. She was nice but at the same time he could tell she wanted something else. He had never seen her before and he hadn't been in town that long. The possibilities of who she was and what she wanted was a short list. He sighed, he might have just made a bigger deal about the whole thing than it really was. He now felt that he should find the girl and say he was sorry for his rudeness.

"What's with the frown?" His body froze over at the familiar voice. Dante turned back to see someone he really wasn't expecting to see. "Happy to see me love?"

"Beatrice." Dante's voice was filled with venom, he really didn't want to see her standing there but there she was and what was worse was that she was wearing the Kuoh uniform.

"Looks good doesn't it." She said as she turned around to show it off.

"What are you doing here?" He really, really wanted her to go away.

"Well our fathers were worried that you might miss me." Her voice was sweet but unlike the girl from the roof he knew it was a malicious lie or at the very least a hurtful one.

"You mean they sent you here to keep me from getting out of our arranged marriage."

* * *

Rias' eyes widened at that sentence. She had started watching the boy after Akeno had come back and told her what happened. Her familiar's eyes were focused on the current events that were playing out sending back the sights and sound to Rias.

* * *

"Why would you want out?" Her face was clearly confused and he was certain that it was true in her mind as well. In the days after he found out the truth he had begun seeing things like her vanity and hubris. It had shocked him how much he was blinded to. "We love each other."

"I thought that too, but you know as well as I do that it wasn't real."

"My brother told you huh?" Her voice had turned a bit more ridged. "So what if papa had us meet without telling us, we still grew to love each other."

"If you would have told me that you found out then things would be different. Our love would have grown stronger from it but… instead it had died." Dante's words were hard, he had long ago cried and let his sorrow out. He had now grown cold and bitter to the whole thing.

"That's not true. You still love me." Beatrice walked up to Dante, her hands laying his chest. "Right Dante? You could never leave me." Something was very wrong, Dante could feel it. The moment she touched him he could feel old feelings come back up. He knew that they had died long ago but now they had come back strong. He tried stepping back but Beatrice was now holding on to his waist. "You love me right Dante?" Dante's grunted as the words tried forcing their way out.

"I… I… I d…" Suddenly before Dante could finish, Beatrice jumped back and Dante's mind cleared. He looked back at the girl that once had his heart and for the first time he saw her scowl. He eyes were focused on something behind him. Dante didn't want to look back; he didn't want to be taken by surprise by Beatrice again but he had to know just what had caused this change.

"Return to your masters Succubus!" A voice that Dante could only describe as one from a beautiful Valkyrie, strong yet enchanting. He wanted to turn back to see just who was it but knew that if he let his eyes leave Beatrice she would try to take him.

"Leave Devil! This one is mine." That. That was the voice Beatrice deserves. It was rough and cracked.

"You have no right to hunt here, this land is under the protection of the house of Gremory."

"This one is not yours! He is already claimed by my family, I'm just here to keep him on his leash." Beatrice's teeth had begun turning shark like and her eyes had started turning glossed over and pale.

"If that is so then why do you resort to such things as your contact control. If he was truly yours then you would only need to call to him." Beatrice's scowl deepened as she backed off.

"Very well devil. But remember that he is mine." Beatrice's face returned to the same lie as earlier. "Good bye my love, I'll be back to remind you who you love later." At that Beatrice disappeared in a gust of wind. Dante just stared at the spot his former love stood.

"That was very impressive. Not many can resist a succubus for that long." The voice belonging to whoever saved him said as she came closer.

"So I guess when I say she is a succubus I'm not just saying it as an insult." Dante said still not turning to the owner of the enchanting voice. She chuckled at this.

"It could work both ways."

"I'm going to assume the girl from the roof was working for you."

"You connect things quickly. It's safe to look away by the way." Dante sighed and looked back to his savor. He was surprised to see another Kuoh uniform, but what caught his attention was her long crimson hair and warm smile. But most of all it was her eyes, blue and green orbs that shined in the setting sun.

"I have to that you, but… what happened is only temporary. A band aid at best. She'll be back and if she's… that, then I'm in even more trouble than I thought." Dante looked down to the ground then back at the sky. "Maybe I should just run now."

"I might be able to help you." Dante looked back at his savor, eyes filled with reluctant hope. "But there's a cost."

"Anything! Anything to be free to decided my own fate! All my life I have never been in control, things had been decided for me. I'll give anything to be free of this fate."

Rias slightly blushed at his resolve to be free of a fate that was not his choosing. He was in a situation much like her own and he still never had lost hope.

"You have to become a Devil." Rias had turned stoic, this was serious. And she needed to convey that. "You must leave behind your humanity and become a Devil of the Underworld."

"That's all? That's all it takes to be free? Done." Dante was truly surprised by the cost; it was so little. The girl before him was one of these Devils and he was assuming that the same was for the girl form the roof and they looked to be the same as him, teens in high school.

"Then take this." In the girl's hand was a chess piece, a rook. "And place it to your core." Dante took the piece and studied it for a moment. It looked to be a normal chess piece painted red but he could feel a pressure coming off it. Dante smiled, he always like the rook, most people say it looks like castle but he always thought it looked more like crown than the king or queen did. He brought the piece to his chest and let it phase into him. He felt a burst of sensation and the he choked on his spit and fell to the ground. Rias smiled at the unconscious boy, he was different and she liked that.

* * *

Dante's eyes opened to the ceiling of the room that had become his. His head was murky, things flowed in and out. But there was one thing that he knew, he had felt this exactly eight times before.

" _There's someone in my bed._ " Dante thought. Not moving his body, his eyes looked to his right to see the girl from last night sleeping next to him. " _That's new… I've never been that good._ " Dante looked to his alarm clock, praying that it wasn't close to seven. It was six fifty-six. " _Oh fuck… when that hits seven. Need. To. Un. Plug._ " Dante tried to reach the clock with his free left hand. His fingertips barely touching the plastic as the clock ticked to six fifty-nine. " _No!_ " When the clock hit seven it began blasting out hardcore Italian death metal music. Dante rushed out of his bed falling to the floor. He grabbed the clock and pulled its cord out of the power socket. He looked to the girl and to his surprise she was still sleeping. But his roommate was not.

"How many times do I have to tell you to quit it with that trashy death… what?" Minamoto slammed the door open and was a bit dazed by the sight of the crimson haired girl in Dante's bed. "…"

"I can't explain." Dante bluntly half joked.

"…"

"Are you going to say anything?"

"…" Minamoto closed the door behind him.

"That… okay." Dante looked back at the currently more important problem that was sleeping in his bed. Dante then looked to the door to the small bathroom thinking whether he should take a shower… or maybe a bath… a bath would really feel good. As he debated this in his head he heard the sheets on his bed rustle. The girl sat up and yawned. She smiled at the sight of Dante staring back her from the floor. "Why?" Dante asked bluntly.

"Good morning to you too." She deflected in the same jokey manner he had asked his question.

"Well good morning as well but… Why are you in my bed with me and why are you naked?"

"You needed to have the last bit of the succubus' magic removed and I could only do that if I held you close and it doesn't work if we have clothes on. Plus, I can't sleep without being nude and like having hugging pillow."

"So you made me said pillow." Dante's eyes narrowed. The way she said that last part made he think that this might become a regular thing, and he wasn't sure how he felt about that. He didn't even know this girl's name and yet it sounded like she was going to be sleeping with him from now on. "I thank you for getting rid of _her_ influence but… I have a few things to say."

"I'm sure you do." She said while sitting up on the edge of his bed kicking her feet playfully.

"First off… your naked."

"Yes I know; do you want me to stand up so you can get a better view?" Dante slightly groaned at this. Internally he was fighting his teenage boy side to say something stupid and it was giving him a headache. He worked hard to try and keep his calm and cool demeanor.

"I can't say anything to that." Dante mumbled to himself. "Hello my name is Dante Alighieri." The girl just smiled at his deflection and walked over to her folded clothes.

"My name is Rias Gremory… better?" Rias asked after putting her panties back on.

"Again I can't say anything to that." Dante mumbled as he started to grow increasingly frustrated. He wasn't used to the way Rias was acting, all the girls that he had been in this situation with were either so charmed by him that they could barely form complete sentences. "Next, how much of last night was true?"

"All of it, you are now a devil. And you're my Rook. Which make me your master. Could you zip this up." Rias turned her back to allow Dante to zip her bra up. He did so quickly though it caused his eyes to twitch slightly. He was not happy with how she was acting; he was so used to girls being in a daze when around him that the fact that Rias was so casual right now was throwing him off. He had nothing against women like this it just was he wasn't used to it. And was currently mentally berating himself for feeling this way.

"Fine, what does that mean?"

"All High class devils have their own peerages, made up of our Evil Pieces. You are my Rook, my second one to be more accurate. As a member of peerage I now take responsibility for you. You don't have to worry about that succubus coming after you anymore." Rias smiled as Dante's eyes warmed up to that statement but then frown as the turned sullen again.

"Did… did she ever actually love me?" Dante's voice soft, Rias could hear the hurt that came from that question. "Or was this all some game to her?"

"Succubi and Incubi are made from humans who are on the verge of heart break they are promised the person they love in exchange they and their love join the parent succubi coven. So yes… she must have loved you at some point but now that has been replaced with a feeling of ownership. She will forever see you as hers and nothing more than trophy."

"I see… and how are you different than her? How do I know you don't see me the same way?" A tense quiet filled the air. Neither one made a sound but just before Rias was about yell at him for implying something as horrible as that the room was filled with his laughter.

"What's so funny?" Rias demanded

"You, I know that you don't see me that way. But the fact that you would react that way only confirms that. I'm sorry for playing you like that." Rias blushed out of embarrassment when she realized that she was indeed about to react to what he said in a very predicable way. "Let me make you breakfast as a way of apologizing." Dante stood up and walked out of the room leaving behind a very red Rias going over what had just happened.

* * *

Minamoto looked at the gorgeous girl sitting at his table. Drinking his coffee. He stared down at his instant coffee and frowned. One month. That was enough time for him to get hooked on the heavenly liquid that his best friend made every morning. Every morning Dante would get up and make two cups of coffee and go out to do his morning prayers, letting his cool while Minamoto drank his as it was the first one made and had already cool while Dante made the second. But today that girl was drinking it.

"Who the hell are you and why are you drinking my coffee!" Minamoto demanded as he slammed his instant coffee in the sink. The girl didn't respond and just took another sip from what should be his coffee.

"I'm Rias Gremory, and I'm drinking this because Dante give it to me."

"But why?!" Minamoto said with his fists clenching.

"What is Dante doing out there if I may ask."

"Praying, he does it every morning." The girl stood up and rushed over to the balcony door while Minamoto stared at the cup debating if he should finish it off or not.

"…day have honor of meeting your glory but I pled you for it not be today so that I may live to praise your name again." Dante finished as Rias opened the door. "Oh Rias, do you need something?"

"What were you just doing?" Rias asked, she was shocked not to find him cowering while holding on to his head in pain.

"Doing my morning prayers, if you want to join me I can start over."

"You were praying and you didn't feel any pain from saying _his_ name?"

"His? Oh… you mean god's… fucking damn that hurts!" Dante said as he clenched his forehead. He had never felt that before. "Are you saying that just saying… that… causes… this?"

"Yes, _He_ doesn't like devils invoking his name." Rias said smiling as she watched her newest Rook curse and whine about the pain. "But what kind of praying are you doing if it isn't to _Him_."

"Arg… ah… AH! Okay." Dante took a deep breath. "… It's something my grandfather taught me. He told me to do it every morning or I'll get bad luck."

"And you still do it?" Rias asked as she walked over to one of the chairs on the balcony to sit down.

"Yeah, why not? It helps me think and better to do it and be safe than not and risk bad luck."

"Well that certainly makes sense. If you don't mind could you start over."

"Sure… one moment…" Dante opened the balcony door. "Minamoto! That's not yours!"

"Go fuck yourself! This is my coffee!" Dante just groaned while Rias laughed.

"I'm sorry about that, I'll make you another after." Dante took a deep breath and closed his eyes. "I pray to you oh lord of the End, lord of last days and first mornings. You are what binds all livings in this and any world. Where there is life you shall always follow and we welcome you. We may fear and hate you but we shall always welcome you into our hearts and minds. You are death and across the lands you are known. Oh great lord death, forever shall you bring peace to those suffering and those unworthy of the gift that is life. Oh humble lord death, forever shall your duty be praised and hated by the great and the fearful. Oh beautiful lord death, may your tranquility be found where ever you go. Oh lord death, may own my days be long until the day I come to the moment that binds all beings in a shared experience. I give praise to your duty, your thankless duty to govern that which binds all things. I shall one day have honor of meeting your glory but I pled you for it not be today so that I may live to praise your name again." Dante opened his eyes and turned back to Rias.

"That was beautiful." Rias said as she smiled back at he shocked Rook.

"Really, most people tend to think's morbid or emo or something. But it's not, all its saying is that we all are going to die one day and that we should worry so much about that. It will come but that doesn't mean we should get all sad about. Or at least that's what I think."

"I guess you could see it that way." Rias said as she looked out on to the town, her head resting on her hands.

"You think it means something else?" Dante followed his new mistress' gaze out on to the town.

"It could simply mean that we're all walking down the same road and that we should find that to be some kind of common ground."

"Huh… never thought of it that way." The two looked out on the sight of the rising sun over the small town. "Well… we should start getting ready for school." Dante said as he began standing back up.

"I guess you're right." Rias slightly pouted. "By the way Dante, Devils are pretty much immortal." Rias left the shocked Dante standing quietly on the balcony.

* * *

The sight of the two walking into on to the school grounds almost caused a riot. On one side there was the boys that were enraged because it was the new foreign guy that landed the number one babe in the school and on the other side was the jealous female students that were pissed off that Rias had snatched Dante up so quickly not even giving the other girls a chance.

Dante sighed, at the very least Rias did a great job at keeping the fangirls at bay. Dante then noticed Issei and his two pals staring at the sight and he gave them a quick wink as to say _Only I could do this and only I can get you here_. Dante laughed as the two friends began beating on Issei for hogging Dante or as they called him, the Sensei of Badass.

The crowd lessened as the two entered the school.

"I'll be sure to send someone to fetch you after classes." Rias said before starting to walk away but when she turned she and Dante froze in place.

"Well I see you two sure have gotten close." Beatrice said, still using her sweet voice that Dante now knew as another lie. "I sure hope that you haven't betrayed me Dante."

"Beatrice… I know what you are and I'm truly am sorry that I am the cause of it." Dante said as he walked in front of Rias in attempt to have Beatrice's focus be on him rather than her. "But I think I need to be clear on something. I'm ending things between us. I no longer love you, I will always treasure who you once were but now… I just want you to away so you won't corrupt what found memories I have left." Beatrice's expression didn't change a bit but Dante could feel the rage coming off her.

"Oh Dante my love, you think it's that simple." Beatrice went to lay her hands on his chest just like the many times she had done before only to pull back and hiss. "What have you done to my Dante whore!" Beatrice yelled at Rias.

"I freed him from your influence, Dante is now part of my peerage and as such under the protection of house Gremory." The pure anger that could be seen on Beatrice's face eroded away and was replaced by a slight frown as she turned back to Dante.

"Oh my love I'm so very disappointed. You have chosen this scarlet tramp over me. Your first and **only** love. Well I see I will have to change that. You may not know your heart but I do." Beatrice quietly said as she walked away from the pair.

"I swear she was never that creepy." Dante sighed. "I'm sorry Rias, I had thought she would have given up after last night."

"It's not a problem Dante, succubi will always come after their first. Unfortunately, you are her Heart Breaker and as such she will never quit trying to take you. It is their compulsion."

"Is there anything we can do?"

"At the moment, the only real option would be to kill her." Dante stiffened at the thought of kill Beatrice. While he certainly didn't want anything to do with her ever again he didn't want her to die. "But don't worry, at her level the most she'll be to you now is an annoyance…" Rias then smiled but Dante knew that it was different than most of her other smiles. "… provided I keep cleaning you of her influence."

"Meaning… you keep sleeping with me." The two heard three thuds coming from the school entrance. They look back to see the three perverts laying on their backs and blood running down their faces. "I'm seriously regretting making that promise to make him into a decent human being."

"Oh yes I saw that. Good luck to you in that, I think you're going to need it." Rias said before walking away. Dante groaned and walked back to Issei and his dumbass friends.

"Hey… are you still alive?" Dante kicked Issei until his eyes rolled back from behind his head.

"Did I just hear you say that you and Rias are sleeping together?" Issei asked with shining eyes of admiration.

"It was last night and nothing even happened. The girl is still a virgin." Dante said with seriousness in his own eyes as the other two woke up to that bit of information.

"Why the fuck didn't anything happen, you had a girl in your bed and you didn't do anything, come on man!" the shaved head one yelled. Dante still didn't care to learn their names, unlike Issei these two didn't have a shred of hope.

"Because I was unconscious at the time. And also this isn't the first time this has happened, sometimes you simply just need to be there for a lady. It isn't always about you." The shame Dante put down on the other two once again brought them down to the floor.

"Now listen, Issei. Today at lunch I want you to meet me up on the roof. We're going to do some training to get you a girlfriend." Dante slightly smiled at the sight of Issei jumping into the air with his fist raised and exclaiming yahoo.

* * *

Lunch came quickly and when Dante walked up to the roof he found Issei already waiting for him. Not only was Issei there but Rias and the girl from yesterday. Dante walked over to the girls first.

"Why are you here…" Dante turned to the raven haired girl. "I apologize for my rude behavior yesterday."

"Oh don't worry about, I'm sure there's something you can do later that would more than make up for it." Dante watched as Rias frowned at her friend's slightly suggestive words. "I am Akeno Himejima, it's nice to meet you again Dante Alighieri."

"Yes and it's a pleasure to meet you again."

"Oh truly the pleasure is mine." Once again Dante noticed another frown from Rias directed at her friend's choice of words.

"Yes… what are you two doing here?"

"We wanted to see you try and turn him…" Rias pointed at Issei who is currently trying to make an attempt at stretching out his muscles. "… into a mini you."

"And this would be a friendly attempt to get some blackmail on me?" Dante's voice was soft and kind, he was not trying to be rude but casual but he still wanted to know these things.

"Of course not, I would never do something like that to one of my peerage." Dante glared skeptically at Rias who in turn just gave back one of her friendly smiles. Satisfied, Dante tuned back to the young pervert and began walking over to him.

"You ready Akeno?"

"Always president." Akeno smiled as she pulled out her phone.

Dante walked over to the stretching Issei.

"Okay Issei, here's what we're going to do." Dante said as he pulled out a poster he had taken from his roommate. He unraveled it to reveal a punk rock chick in a skimpy outfit with uncovered breasts. Issei instantly reacted to the poster. And was subsequently poked with a pen in the thigh. The pain shot up through Issei. "No moron, pain is bad and if you keep reacting the way you do then you're going to have pain." Dante and Issei continued this training until the end of lunch with very little to no progress. The rest of the day went by fairly quick and Dante was flipping his pen through his fingers as he always did when he was bored. Just when he was about to call it quits he saw one of the first years come through the door. The kid's name was Yuuto Kiba, Dante only remembered it because he was one of the other boys that drew a crowd. Dante could only smile at the sight of the girls' disappointment that he had not come for them when Yuuto walked over to Dante.

"Hello Dante, I'm Yuuto Kiba and I'm here to fetch you for Miss Gremory." Dante tilted his head so he could see the angry faces of the girls, they certainly did not like the idea of Rias having the two to herself.

"Yes yes, let us go before they start sharpening spears." Dante nodded to the group of female students and Yuuto gave back a pained expression of understanding. Dante followed the younger first year to an older school house.

"This is where the Occult Research Club meets, it's a front for the president's peerage." Yuuto explained as he opened the door for the new Rook.

"And just what place are you in her peerage?" Dante had expected Rias to have other members but had not expected them to be so young. Yuuto was one thing but there was a damn middle schooler sitting on one of the red couches that dotted the room.

"I am her first Knight and this is Koneko Toujou, her first Rook."

"Hey." The young girl said in an almost monotone voice. Dante quickly walked over to couch across Koneko. "So you're not from Japan?"

"No, io non lo sono. Io vengo da Firenze Italia. Sono sicuro che sarebbe piaciuto." Dante smiled at the confused look on Yuuto's face and at the indifferent one on Koneko's. "I'm Italian and I'm from Florence… now with the pleasantries out of the way, could someone explain why there is a shower right behind me." Dante asked not even looking at the running shower and the silhouette of Rias on the curtains. Neither one of the other two student answered, Koneko didn't care and Yuuto really didn't want to answer. The shower soon stopped and after a few tense minutes Rias stepped out of the shower fully dressed much to Dante's preference and equal internal disappointment.

"Oh good Dante you're here. I'm sorry for keeping you waiting but I didn't have time to use your show at your place." Rias said as she dried her hair. Dante watched the surprisingly nonexistent reaction from the other two teens at Rias' words.

" _So this behavior is normal for her… I see. Only making the probability that she's going to do it again more likely. On one hand I'm never going to hear the end of it from Minamoto but on the other I get to have Rias in my bed… teen hormones win out this debate. Sorry Minamoto, I'll have to make him dinner every night from now on… wait… is she going to be there for dinner?_ " As Dante thought over his changing living arrangements Rias walked over to her desk and smiled as she could tell what was going through her Rook's head. "Tell me Rias, do you prefer whites or reds? I need to know so that I can prepare the correct meal to work with the drinks." That did in fact gain a reaction from Yuuto and even a look of slight surprise from Koneko.

"My my isn't that forward." Akeno said as she walked into the room. "I had no idea you could cook."

"It relaxes me; it gives me a sense of control in my life. Something that I didn't know I lacked until very recently."

"Dante here was until I made him my second Rook under the power of a succubus. He had successfully resisted her when he found out that his parents had staged their relationship. The resulting heart break allowed him to break free. But as you know succubi do not give up their prey easily or even at all. You all need to be on guard as this one is going to our school and will likely try and reclaim Dante any way she can."

"Is there anything you can tell us about her Dante?" Akeno asked.

"Her name is Beatrice Portinari; her family owns one of the largest shipwright companies in the world. My family wanted us to marry so they could get better deals with her family's company or something like that, I never really paid any mind to that. Beatrice herself she careful by nature. Even early on in our relationship she was careful and slightly paranoid. It comes from her father who rammed it into her head that people were out to get her and only her family could help her. I thought that I was helping her come out of her shell but… now I don't know. I have a few ideas on how she became a succubus though." This surprised Rias, she had thought Dante didn't know anything about the afterlife and its denizens. "When I went to her family home for the first time there was a… man. Her father said he was an old friend but the way they spoke to each other felt more business than friendship. The way he looked at me and Beatrice was… unnerving. My very first thought of the man was _Okay he's a child molester_ and the rest of night I just tried to avoid him. I did but Beatrice had talked to him a few times and after each time she would look at me more confidently like she knew we'd be together forever. I had thought that it was just because we were in love and she was opening up more."

"But that wasn't it. Likely the man was an Incubi and he was recruiting Beatrice. He must have been the to tell her about your parents lie and used the same heart break you felt when you found out to lure her into becoming a succubus."

"Maybe… she hadn't really changed all that much until a few months after that." Dante slouched back into the couch. "I can't really think of anything else that would be helpful."

"It's okay Dante, you've said plenty. We know what her goals are, you."

"Why don't we just kill her like any other stray?" Koneko said again in her monotone voice. Dante's face twitched at this, he didn't like the idea but after the meeting this morning it was looking better and better.

"Because, the Succubi is currently under the Fallen Angels banner." Rias answered. Dante and the others looked to their King. "I did some digging and found out that the coven Beatrice belongs to is working for the Fallen Angels."

"I thought that Devils were the Fallen Angels?" Dante asked, the one thing he remembered from Sunday school was the battles and fighting between heaven and hell.

"No, the Fallen Angels are very different." Rias said with a slight glare. She went on to explain to Dante the Three Factions and their history. "Do you understand?"

"Yes, thank you… but… there's just one last thing I wanted to know. Why me? Why didn't you just leave me to my fate? For what reason would you have to take me in when it might cause you trouble?" Dante looked intently at Rias. This question had been bugging him since he had woken up this morning.

Akeno was sitting down wondering if Rias was going to tell the real reason or if she was just going to give half of the story. As her best friend she knew that Rias had seen something of herself in Dante, she also was in an arranged marriage. Not only that but the fact that Dante was eye candy certainly helped.

"It's because you're a Grim Reaper." Rias said seriously. Dante looked at Rias with narrowed eyes, he wasn't expecting an answer like that.

"Grim Reaper?" Yuuto thought outload. "I don't think I understand."

"Grim Reapers are a subspecies of Devils; they are the masters of death itself. They are said to be the dependents of the first God of Death. They are very rare, only two families of Grim Reapers are left in the Underworld and both are very isolated from the day to day. But at the same time there are many dormant Grim Families. Unlike normal Devil blood lines, the Grim Families remain pure no matter who joins, children of a Grim Reaper are always Pure Blood Devils. However, they remain dormant until they are killed after they reach a certain age. But the Grim Reapers are the descends of Death and as such need to praise him or lose his favor. This will result in the loss of his blessing and a very real death quickly follows. This has caused most of the dormant families to loss their members before reaching the right age."

"And what is that age?" Dante asked.

"Seventy-Seven. If a Grim Reaper lives that long and dies they are reborn as a Pure Blood Devil and a true Grim Reaper."

"But what does that mean for me?" Dante was getting worried, he felt like becoming a Devil now was like cheating and he really didn't want to piss of Death.

"I wouldn't worry; you aren't the first dormant Grim Reaper to have been given an Evil Piece. According to the two Grim Houses you should be fine, you already were doing your daily rites and as long as you continue to do them until you reach seventy-seven years you will not suffer Lord Death's displeasure." Dante looked down at the floor as he contemplated this new information. It was a surprise but not a very big one, his grandfather had always told him that their family was special.

"How did you know?"

"When you first arrived I felt your soul. The chill of death hung around it and when you performed your rites this morning it confirmed what I thought."

"So is there any difference between Grim Reapers and normal Devils other than the blood line stuff?"

"Yes, all Grim Reapers do not bleed. They cannot be killed from blood loss and are immune to the cold. Not only that but they grow stronger the colder the area they are in becomes. It is said this is why a body grows cold when it dies. The reasons behind the lack of blood are said to be because Lord Death takes it as tribute but there's no real way to confirm this. But the most important difference is that All Grim Reapers hold a Sacred Gear within them. They all hold one of the seven Scythes of Bone. Come over here." Dante stood up and walked over to his King. The second he stood next to her she pulled him down so he would be laying on her lap with his back to her. He made several sounds of irritation and shock but Rias ignored them. She dragged a finger up his spine and once she reached the base of his neck she tapped on it. "Right here. Try pulling it out right here." Rias said as she let Dante stand back up. After groaning quietly, he did as he was told and reached back to the top of his spine and found that he could feel something. He did as Rias told him and pulled on it. The sound of his spine being pulled out caused everyone but Rias to cringe but in one fluid movement Dante was able pull out a long slightly carved shaft. It's exterior looked very much like a human spine but once Dante tapped the bottom of the pole to the ground the scythe's blade ripped out of the shaft forming the complete look of a scythe. While the pole looked to be a spine the connection between the blade and pole was a skull within a jagged circle and the blade itself was an enlarged scythe blade with the look of many skeletons reaching out to the tip of the blade grooved onto the blade itself. Dante looked at the blade, his eyes taking the entire thing at once.

" _It's… it's… it's so… It's So Damn Cool!"_ Dante's eyes shined with happiness while the other minus Rias looked on with a mix of fear and morbid fascination. Rias just smiled at the sight of a truly happy Dante.

"You should be able to use it in combat already; you just need to let your instincts take over. All you really need is to train your body to withstand the scythe's power."

"You said something about this being one of the Seven Scythes of Bone, I get the bone part now but what makes it different from a normal blade?"

"Sacred Gears are power that few people have, they are part of people's soul. The Blades of Bone each have powers of Lord Death. However, given the fact that you were reincarnated into a Devil you won't have all the power yet. We'll have to unlock it. The seven Blades of Bone are the Blades of Chill, Blood, Finality, Darkness, Despair, Entropy, and lastly Eternity. There's no real way of know what one you have until you unlock the power. Until then all you have is just the normal blade."

"Still pretty exciting to know that we have a real Grim Reaper in our little group." Akeno happily said.

"If you want to return your scythe just place it to your back." Rias informed Dante and he did so, once again causing everyone but Rias to cringe at the sound of the spine like weapon made as it returned to its host.

"Don't ever do that in front of me again." Koneko remarked causing Dante to feel a little bad at causing the young girl such disturbing discomfort.

* * *

Dante was walking home after Rias said he could have the first night off. Tomorrow she would have him start working on contracts and summonings.

"You have the night off, and I'm sure you'll have a good time."

Dante slightly grumbled at her choice of words. She was up to something. He had the feeling he was going to find her at his and Minamoto's place. He didn't mind having Rias around, he really did like her company… most of the time. He knew he that from his attitude this morning he needed to work on his reaction to forward and strong women. He was far too used to the fangirls and the Beatrices of the world. And like a bad joke that just got worse, the mare thought of her seemed to cause the same feeling he had been getting every time she showed up.

Dante stopped walking and turned his head back to see Beatrice standing behind him, her face was different than the creepy smile or demonic rage that he had seen in the last few days. Her face was drained, tired. Her arms wrapped around his waist and her head fell into his back.

"I really miss you…" For the first time in months he heard the old Beatrice. "Please… can we just go back to the way things were?"

"You know that's impossible now." He tried to keep his voice stern but the sadness he felt leaked out.

"I really do love you, please don't believe them when they say I don't."

"If that was true then you would leave and let me go."

"If you love something set it free… that's what you're saying."

"Yeah."

"And you know I can't do that… I love you and I can't live without you." With that Beatrice left Dante once again. Dante sighed and continued on his way to his home. He wiped the tears from eyes but felt them continue to come.

"Damn it… every damn time." Dante stood outside the door of his and his roommate's apartment pulling himself together. He didn't want his best friend to worry and he sure that a certain someone was also there and he didn't want to worry her to. Dante took one last deep breath and opened the door, what he saw didn't surprise him in the slightest. Rias… sitting at the dinner table… once again drinking the coffee he had prepared for Minamoto when he returned from work. And sitting across from her with a scowl that for once fit the make up his friend wore.

"Welcome home Dante." Dante groaned as he saw Rias' face light up at his return to the apartment. This was not going to end well for him.

"So… buddy. Guess who says their staying with us."

"I already have made up a plan to make things up to you… it involves me cooking."

"Go on."

"I from now on shall buy the groceries and cook dinner every night. I'll even give you my coffee in the morning."

"You could just make a third cup."

"No. two every morning."

"… Fine. She can stay." Minamoto said as he stood up and then walked to his room.

"He seems nice." Rias said before taking another sip from her cup.

"Don't you start! What the hell are you thinking?! I mean come on! God da… fuck ow that hurts fucking damn it!" Dante collapsed down on to the floor in pain. The next thing Dante feels is Rias' hand stroking his hair. He looks up and see her sitting next to him.

"You saw her again, didn't you?"

"Yeah… she was different. Like her old self, she wanted me to know that she still loves me."

"And she might, but it's not the same love that you two had. The problem is that she doesn't see love the same way you do anymore." The two stayed like this for a few minutes before Dante chose to speak again.

"You're going to be sleeping in my bed aren't you?"

"Well of course, where else would I sleep, I still need to cleanse you of her influence every night."

"And you're going to be naked again aren't you."

"That's the only way it can be done."

"Sure… let's go with that." Dante laughed.


	2. Chapter 2

Author's notes

Sooooo, thanks to everyone that clicked on this. This story was inspired by the DXD/Bleach crossover Naberius Heir, its really good and I consider better than the canon of either DXD and Bleach... I really hate everything after the Fullbringers arc. But! that's not important now, if its not clear by the way this takes place one year before the start of DXD just wanted to say that before we got back to the good stuff. Oh and to those that were expecting a update to my From War To Peace story... yeah... I haven't been feeling it for that one and I don't want to put shit out there so until I get my mojo on that story back its going on break. its not dead! I just want to only put stuff I'm proud of out there for people to read.

* * *

The next morning.

Dante opened his eyes from a deep night sleep. He looked to his right to see Rias still sleeping. He still didn't know how he felt about this little arrangement they had. He felt indebted to her for saving him from Beatrice and he certainly felt the normal teenage physical feelings but every time he saw Issei he took it as reminder to keep that side in check. But… she was something that was an unknown to him. He didn't understand why this irritated him so much but inside his mind was a three-way battle between his internal teenage boy hormones, his self-image as a gentleman among brutes, and his pride in his self-control. In the end the battle stopped short as he looked over at his alarm and once again a strained fear came over his face.

" _Damn! No… it's six fifty-eight._ " Dante quickly tried to once again stop the very loud and disruptive music from waking his sleeping King. And once again failed to. Dante quickly rushed out of the bed as fast as he could as the song moved to the first chorus.

"I thought I told you to quit playing that crap!" Minamoto yelled from his room.

" _Fuck you and your crap black metal._ " Dante thought to himself. He and his roommate had spent many hours and would no doubt spend many more arguing which was better, Dante's Death Metal and Minamoto's Black Metal music. Dante's train of thought was stopped by the sound of Rias' yawn.

"Good morning Dante." All that she got back was a glare. "What seems to be the problem now."

"Something always happens to me when I have a girl in bed… I get my ass handed to me or I end up running from said ass kicking. Do you have any brothers?" Dante said as he thought back on the eight times he had spent a night with a girl. And every one ended in him escaping their pig headed family that simply didn't understand the ways of the heart. Then again… he didn't actually love any of them… so maybe they were in fact on the right side of that argument.

"Yes I do, but you don't have worry about him." Rias said as she sat up on Dante's bed.

"I'll take your word on that but that also leaves your father."

"You don't have to worry about him either, they both know about my habits."

" _Habits? That means more than one. Damn it! Why does this aggravate me? I am no prude, I've slept with other women and even slept with no intention of sex. So why?! Does Rias bother me?_ " Dante shook these thoughts away and focused back on Rias. "I see…" Dante's eyes narrowed. "… regardless I need to set a few ground rules." Rias' face turned to a pout but Dante ignored it. "First off, tell me the honest truth. Do you really need to sleep with me naked to keep Beatrice's influence out of me?"

"Well if I have to be honest, I don't have to do it every night but it's just much easier this way. Plus, you make a great hugging pillow." Dante actually blushed slightly.

"Very well, I thank you for honesty. Secondly you cannot keep taking Minamoto's coffee. In the month I've lived here he has gotten very attached to it."

"But it's so good." Truthfully Rias had never had better coffee before and had been looking forward to having it every day.

"I'll give you mine."

"You could make three."

"No. I make two and that's it. Thirdly…" Dante held out his hand. "Pay me." Rias laughed while Dante kept a stone cold face.

"Oh… your serious."

"It's not rent; I'm using hotel rules here. If it helps, you even get free breakfast and we don't charge for the Wi-Fi."

"Do I have too?" Rias put on her best puppy dog face while slightly pushing her breasts together. A bead of sweat rolled down his face as he tried to resist her sexiness. "You don't really intend to make me pay? Right Dante?"

" _Must! Resist! Need. To. Lay. Down. Law. Must. Keep. Shred. Of. Dignity!_ "

"Please." Rias continued to give Dante the same look that had been whittling down his soul. Dante finally dropped to the floor, he had passed out. He had unconsciously been holding his breath. "Dante!" Rias dropped down to the floor to hold her new Rook and to try and wake him up. She looked down at his face as she held him in her arms and smiled.

* * *

Thirty minutes later.

Minamoto watched as the new girl dragged Dante out of his room.

" _Did they sleep together again?_ " Minamoto sighed and grabbed a bottle of water and walked over to the passed out Dante and dumped the water in his face.

"Hey what are you doing?"

"Waking the bastard up, he'll get pissy if he doesn't get to do his morning prayers." The girl went quiet after that and soon Dante woke up and he was not happy about the fact he was drenched. He grumbled a bit and then walked out to the balcony leaving Minamoto and the girl alone again. "Are you two dating or just fucking?"

"What?! That's none of your business." Minamoto watched as the girl's eyes started turning red but he threw the rest of the water at her.

"I'll have none of that miss Gremory." The girl he knew was the hair to the Gremory house looked up at him with surprise rather than anger. "I know that you saved him from that bitch of a succubus and I'm thankful for that as his oldest friend." The girl's eyes understood who he was now as his own eyes turned smoky.

"You're a Jinn?" There was anger in her voice but it was coming from a place that was for the concern of the safety of her servants.

"My grandmother was, so you could say I'm only a forth Jinn but it still runs strong." Minamoto leaned closer. "He will always be my best friend; I hope that whatever he is to you won't end up hurting him." Minamoto leaned back and walked to the kitchen as Dante walked back in. "Hey can you make the damn coffee now?"

"Yeah yeah." Dante walked over to the kitchen and Minamoto watched as he started. He looked back the young hair to the Gremory House, there was a small nod of understanding between the two.

"So are you two dating or just fucking?" Minamoto asked this again more in a joke form but still caused the reaction he was looking for.

* * *

Beatrice watched as her Dante walked on the sidewalk's curb. He was on his way to school, the red headed whore had simply teleported to school.

"She'll never know you love, I'm the only one who'll ever know the true you." Beatrice quietly whispered to herself.

"So that's your Heart Breaker?" A smoothly low male voice said from behind Beatrice. She turned back, the look of longing had been replaced slight indifference and sullen announce. "To tell the truth I expected someone a bit shorter." The owner of the voice walked next Beatrice. She had always wondered just how was it he could make a three-piece suit look so grimy. Behind him was three women with metal rings around their necks connected to chains. The man pulled on the chains to drag the woman with him. They didn't resist and just followed obediently.

"I can handle him myself, he is mine after all."

"Sure, he is yours but why is not with you?" The man's grin was a little sickening to her, despite it being so perfect. It was a trait that all of their kind shared, that every other one of them was disgusting. They all felt wrong to each other, their covens only held tougher out of the need to survive and to enforce their most long standing traditions on the younger members.

"I could ask the same of you, where is your Heart Breaker?" She wanted him to leave so maybe by bringing up the thing he hated might make him leave.

"She's at my hotel, tied up. Like yours should be but he's going to school and having friends. That's not how a Heart Breakers should be, free like us." The man pulled out his phone and after tapping it a few times returned his focus on Beatrice. "I've set my schedule for a month before I get involved. So he better come to his senses by then or I'll be the one to break him." He now leaned in closer. "And remember what needs to be done tonight. You're looking a bit pale." He pulled on the chains for the women behind to follow him as he made his way to the stairs down.

"Please my love, come back to me. I don't want to see him hurt you."

* * *

Dante walked in to the old school building. This was going to be his first night of summonings and hopefully he would be able to make a pact or two. Dante smirked to himself as he sat down on the couch, it was only two days into the school year and he was a devil.

"What's that look for?" Koneko asked before taking a bite of chocolate.

"Oh nothing, just things are moving fast. It's only been a few days." Dante leaned back into the couch to relax as he watched the president and vice president walk in with Yuuto not far behind. Their King went over everyone's jobs and work for the night and when it got to Dante she smiled as she handed him a box. "What's this?"

"This is a box of flyers that need to be handed out."

"What? I thought I was going to do contract work?"

"Yes well the thing is we haven't found any contract work that fit your skill set."

"That's a bold face lie and you know it! I can do lots of things!"

"Oh we're sure you could." Akeno said, earning another glare from her King.

"See! Akeno thinks… wait what?"

"It doesn't have anything to do with how capable you are anyways. This is your first day on the job and you just need to go through the paces like every newly reincarnated Devil." Rias said before dumping the box of flyers in Dante's hands. Dante grumbled a bit about not being used to his fullest but had stopped by the time he reached the door out. "Okay, Yuuto and Koneko you have your contracts to take care of." The Rook and Knight both bowed and went on their way to perform their duties.

"He does seem very capable as you put it. It was smart choice to bring him in." Akeno said as she went through a few files of contract reviews. "But I know you Rias, I don't think you brought him in because he's a Grim or because he was under that succubus's power."

"Are you doubting my judgment?"

"Not at all, I just think that you might have chosen him because of _other_ reasons." Rias glared once again at her best friend. "And I must say those other reasons are quite valid."

"What do you know of Jinn?" Rias said trying to change the subject quickly.

Akeno sighed, she wanted to continue their conversion on their new Rook but she could tell Rias wasn't going to have it anymore. "They're a tribe of supernatural beings, they are about as neutral as anyone can get. They both detest the Angels fallen or pure and the Devils equally. Saying the Devils should know their place and to not fight against _Him_. While believing the Angels has disturbed the natural order for their interaction with humans. The Jinn mostly lived in the middle east until recently, they began moving west and mostly settled in the Greek islands with the largest settlement being on Crete. The Jinn's bodies are made of either fire or smoke but never both. But are able to hold a human form."

"So it's possible for them to have children with humans?"

"Yes, I suppose so… why?"

"Because Dante's roommate is one quarter Jinn." Akeno was surprised at this, so much so that she wasn't even going to make a joke about just how did Rias meet Dante's roommate.

"Is this something that might cause problems?"

"I don't know, he seems to be on Dante's side but you said it yourself, Jinn are not the biggest fans of Devils. I heard that things have gotten even worse too. Apparently the Jinn tribe prefers the old Satan faction to my brother's. But Dante's friend is only one forth Jinn and he's here so that might mean that his family is an outcast." Rias thought this information over as her Queen finished the last bit of paper work.

* * *

Dante was bored, he had spent the better part of the afternoon handing out flyers, albeit he did hand them out rather quickly, thank you sexy accent. He currently sitting down in a café waiting for his order. He wasn't in the mood to return home. Minamoto would still be on his shift and Rias… he was still getting used to the idea of her as an unexpected sleeping partner.

His thoughts finding a point to anchor he focused on his new mistress. Rias was… an interesting puzzle to him. Never before had he met her did he meet a girl that wasn't taken by his… he liked the word charms. He never tried to be some kind of playboy, the girls he had been with were spurs of the moments and if he honest with himself, something to learn form. To learn and improve for the day he found someone to truly love. But when it did happen it didn't turn out as he had hoped.

Dante slouched back as his thoughts deepened. Rias was open and had regal air to her that certainly helped kept her from appearing more like a whore than the confident and secure woman that Dante knew she was. And her looks… well Dante could say little in the way of criticisms. On that line of thoughts Dante begin to picture just what it might be like to…

"Here's your order." The waitress said while placing his coffee and muffin in front of him, effectually cutting his current train of thought.

"Oh thank you." Dante smiled at the young waitress causing her to blush either from his accent or smile before returning to her job. "That was a close one, I almost let Issei rub off on me…" Dante shuddered at the metal picture that just formed from that particular choice of words. After a few slaps to his forehead to get that thought out he grabbed his coffee and began his walk home, taking the long way so he could think a bit more on his pervious thoughts.

H couldn't figure out what was Rias' goal here. Why did she stick her neck out for him? Because he was a Grim Reaper, news that wasn't so much news to him but more like a name to a few already known facts. Dante could feel like that was only one piece to the puzzle, he had already asked so any more question on the subject would be rude, or at least that's how he felt they would sound. Did she like him? They had only known each other after she made him her second Rook so that was unlikely to Dante.

" _Besides, why would she want me? I'm damaged goods at this point._ " Dante mood turned somber as his mind turned on to this topic. " _Beatrice will never go away. I can't kill her, I just…. I just can't do it. And with her here, any girl near me would be in danger. I know that Rias could take Beatrice if it came down to a fight but I couldn't do that to her. I'm just not worth it._ " Dante looked up at the apartment building that was his shared home. Dante pushed the thoughts from his mind and tried to return back to his normal casual self.

He was expecting Rias to be somewhere in the apartment but found it to be empty. Minamoto had left a list of chores Dante needed to and a list of things needed to be bought.

"Doubt he knew I was going to be back late." Dante mumbled as he ripped the note off the fridge. "Take out trash, water plants, change alarm music… fuck you and your black metal, call the super to check the lamp post outside, make lunches for me for the next week…" Dante slightly groaned at this list. He looked around the darkened apartment to see if anyone was looking and he slipped the note under the fridge. "It fell… not my fault I didn't see it." Dante once again looked around for anyone to catch him but to his relief there was none. Dante sat back in the small couch and it was then he felt it. Something on the apartment was sending some kind of pressure down on him. Dante looked up at the ceiling and sighed he didn't want to deal with this. Dante reluctantly stood up and walked to the stairs and up to roof.

"Good, you actually came." The voice was harsh and musical at the same. Dante looked around to see a woman, she was wearing a red and yellow ballroom gown, her hair was down up like she was going to some high class party. Everything about was high class but Dante could see the slight shape of cuffs around her ankles and a metal collar under her silk scarf.

"And you are?" Dante wasn't even going to try at wit or any form of banter.

"You are Beatrice's Heart Breaker." The woman said back, the look in her eyes was cold and filled with hatred but Dante wasn't sure if it was to him. "You are breaking the natural order of things. You must go to her and beg forgiveness."

"And why would I do such a thing, I am free of her." Dante had unknowingly let his new Devil wings out but they weren't the normal bat like wings but instead were skeletonized dragon wings. There was no reaction on the face of the woman. "Now tell me who you are."

"Free? You said you were free? But you're not… you can't be free. There is no free for us. We pay for the sins of the heart. Free is something that simply can't be for us." Dante showed none of the shock he felt. She was another one of these Heart Breakers he heard Rias talk about.

" _Is there another one of them here? Did her coven send back up? Are they watching us?_ " Dante's eyes scanned the roofs of nearby buildings for anyone watching.

"My beloved is not here; he is helping your beloved cope with you straying from her." There was a tang of bitterness to her last few words but Dante couldn't tell what it was at.

"What do you mean by when you say cope?"

"He is currently having sex with her." Her words were blunt and hurtful. "Do not look surprised, she is a succubus, they feed on sexual energies, you have deprived her of her natural source and now she must substitute." Dante was only half listening, right now his mind was filled with conflicting feelings. Anger mostly, at whoever was currently defiling her former love, anger at himself for caring so much about this news, anger at this woman for simply telling him.

"I think its best if you leave now." Dante said darkly, his voice calm and dangerous.

"I will not… I will bring you back. You will beg for your mistake of believing yourself free and beg even more for giving yourself to that whore…" It was in that moment that the woman felt the punch to her gut. She had watched the boy walk to her but she thought he was just accepting his duty and fate. The next thing she felt was hitting the brick wall of the building next to the one she was standing on and then falling to the ground below. She tried to pick herself up but it was hard. She spat out a bit of blood before she saw the boy drop down from the three story building, shaking the ground as he hit the pavement. The next thing she felt was a blade up cutting the surface of her neck. Looking up she saw the boy holding a Grim Reaper's Blade of Bone.

"I really think you should go, I'm being nice right now. But… if you say one more thing about the person who saved me… I promise you that you'll wish I'd just pulled up right now." The blade slightly lowered to allow her to react.

"I shall return to my beloved and tell him you continue to deny your existence." At that the woman pushed herself off the ground, snapping back many of her limps to their normal positions. Dante was too angry to be in awe of her pain tolerance. "I hope the next time we meet you will understand that the word free no longer exists for you." The woman did a slight bow and began walking back down the allay as Dante just glared at her.

* * *

Three weeks later.

Dante looked out the window of his last hour classroom. Things had begun to become what could be called normal. Every morning he would wake up to Rias sleeping naked next to him. The two would argue over something, either her demanding he do something stupid or he demanding her to stop doing something. Then they would have a small breakfast with Minamoto, he and Rias got along well enough, he still would prod into what their relationship was.

Even Dante didn't understand their relationship was. She slept with him and the two certainly argued in the same way couples did, over silly things that really didn't mean anything. Dante's face turned slightly red at the thought of them being a couple.

Dante pushed those thought away as he didn't want any of the attention that a simple blush could bring. Who are you thinking about? Was among of the top questions he had come to hate. After breakfast Dante would walk to school following behind Rias. And every time they would enter the school grounds all hell would break lose. The rest of the day would be filled with avoiding Beatrice who wouldn't just go away and training Issei. He had made a promise and he was going to keep it. The kid might be a little… he's a big pervert but he's still a good kid where it really counts. After school he would go to the old school house and do contracts. Most were easy, like teaching a few lessons in Italian or something like what he was doing with Issei but every now and then he would get some freak. One night Rias had to sooth him back to sleep after he had a nightmare about one of the worst ones, she enjoyed that night a little too much. Then back to home where Dante would cook dinner. Minamoto favorite was his Stracotto al Chianti with stuff artichokes on the side while Rias loved his Salsiccia Con Clima Di Rapa, it made him so happy to provide good food from his home country.

"Maybe tonight I'll do something a bit simpler, I've been a bit creative lately but I should always keep to the tried and true."

The night he met the other Heart Breaker three weeks ago wasn't repeated. Other than Beatrice he had not seen any other of her kind. And the next day when Beatrice cornered him again and had noticed he being a bit more hostile than normal he confronted her on what he had learned the night before. She simply blamed it on him for leaving her. But he again defended himself by saying that it was her fault that things ended between them. This again led to a heated argument that looked to be heading towards it becoming a physical fight. Rias intervened simply by showing up and scolding Dante for his rash behavior. Beatrice quickly disappeared at the sight of Rias.

Rias herself had been told what happened when she returned to Dante and Minamoto's apartment. Her reaction to the appearance of the other Heart Breaker was collected and in control. She had expected the coven to send another to help with his collection. She also explained that Succubi and Incubi see their Heart Breakers as a given right and see Dante rebelling as a fight against the laws of nature itself. Heart Breakers themselves are beaten down until they believe that it is their punishment for breaking the hearts of the people they loved.

But when Dante told Rias about the second half of the meeting and what she told him about what was happening to Beatrice and how conflicted he felt about the whole thing, She just pulled him into her chest and began to comfort him. Saying that this was her choice, and that it wasn't his fault. Dante cried, he knew it was but Rias didn't let him express that and told him it wasn't. it was Beatrice's choice to give herself to the other Incubus and that it was okay to feel angry about it. She had been the love of his life and those feelings don't ever completely go away. When Dante thought back on her words later, he felt that she sounded a bit sad at the toward the end. But by the end of the night, she had been able to help him calm down.

"Maybe just the classic spaghetti and meatballs, but what to serve on the side…" Dante's eyes wandered out the window until something unexpected caught his eye. He stood up to leave, he noticed someone down by the soccer yard and groaned. "I really don't need this." Dante made his way down to the soccer yard and stood in front of the giant of a teen. His skin was as tan as Dante's and his slicked back hair was just as black. His clothes were simple jeans and a white t-shirt covered by a bomber jacket. "Hey Anthony." Dante said looking up at the giant. The teen stood a little over six feet. "She's gonna' try and jump kick me isn't she?" The teen grunted out the confirmation. Dante just sighed. "So how's the circus?"

"Doing well, they're in France right now." Dante sighed again, his monotone grunt like voice give Koneko a run for her money.

* * *

"So are you ever going to tell me just what happened that night?" Akeno asked her best friend and King as the two were walking to the old school building. Rias had been very tight lipped about the whole thing and it just made Akeno just more determined to find out.

"I don't believe I will." Rias said playfully, what happened was too personal for Dante to tell anyone. She was going to respect his wishes when he asked her not to tell anyone, he even said specifically not to tell Akeno. As they were walking they saw Dante talking to a huge teen, or at least they thought he wasn't an adult.

"Is that Dante's roommate? He doesn't look like what you told me."

"No… I've never seen him before." Rias said with a frown as she began walking over to the two boys.

"Hey Dante!" Akeno yelled out as she and Rias were walking over to Dante and Anthony. "So who's your friend?" Akeno asked but Dante knew the real question and so did Anthony.

"No." Anthony said bluntly before he started holding up a large speaker.

"This is Anthony Berkus, he's an old friend. And you might want to take a step back." Dante said before the theme to Rocky started playing out of the speaker above Anthony. Rias and Akeno looked confused as to what exactly was going on.

"Oh don't tell that tramp is back." Beatrice said as she appeared behind the two Devils. Neither looked back at the Succubus and just ignored her. They both hated the girl for her consented attempts at pouching Dante from Rias' peerage and her psychological torture of Dante and several other things that were being added to list. "I know you can hear me."

"Oh we can, we just don't care." Akeno said back as they watched the incoming dust cloud. They looked at the cloud closer and could barely see the outline of a teenage girl running towards them. The two Devils had to use magic to see her as she approached Dante. She was clearly of Arabic decent but was wearing very American clothes. Orange tinted sunglasses on her forehead, purple short shirt with the words _Ready for this Bitch!_ written in stylized graffiti, orange leather gloves, very ripped blue jeans and purple and orange sneakers.

"Bitch slap!" A voice yelled out from the dust cloud as it made contact with Dante but what really surprised Rias and Akeno was the fact that Dante shot forward from the force of whatever the girl did.

"Dante!" Both Rias and Beatrice ran to the small crater that Dante had formed from his impact.

"Damn… I didn't think I hit him that hard." The girl who hit Dante said a bit shocked at the sight. But then become even more confused at the sight of the two girls who ran to help him fighting over who would do so.

"Umm… but just who are you?" Akeno asked the girl.

"Who I'm I? Just who are you and how do you know the dumbass?"

"Dante is part of the Occult Research Club in which I am the vice president."

"Occult… what?" The girl just looked even more confused. "Okay dumbass you have explaining to do!" The girl yelled to the crater. The three teens looked over to see Rias and Beatrice pulling each other's hair and Dante climbing out of the crater. He walked over to the fighting girls and pulled them apart, yelled at Beatrice to leave and walked a still angry Rias back to the group.

"Clio, what the hell are you doing here?" Dante asked bluntly.

"We heard that your trying to get out of marrying that bitch." Clio waved to Beatrice as she was fixing her hair. "And we always wanted to see japan."

"They have funny TV here." Anthony said as he began packing away the speaker.

"Rias, Akeno, this is Clio Abadi. She and Anthony are old friends of mine. They are kinda like traveling salesmen only they just take your money and use it to travel."

"So thieves."

"No! I take offence at that! We are performers." Clio said as Anthony threw up confetti in the air and Clio was doing jazz hands.

"They're thieves." Dante said bluntly then began ignoring Clio as she ranted and flailed around while Anthony held her back. "But they're good people when you get to know them… oh shit." Dante cursed as he saw the three perverts walk out of the school talking about something… that Dante didn't want to know about. Dante turned and in horror saw that Clio was already gone and Anthony just shrugged at the facts of his life. Dante turned back to the three perverts to see Clio already working on them. "She'll have their parents bank accounts in hours." Dante said in horror as he ran over leaving a very confused Rias and slightly less confused Akeno. Rias looked back at Anthony while Akeno mumbled something about already liking her.

"Clio is very friendly." Anthony said in response to the looks he was getting from Rias.

"So you got my measurements just by looking at me?" Clio laughed as she dragged her finger across the boy with the glasses' face. "What a neat skill." The boy could only babble in response to Clio's advances. The other two could only look on with jealousy but both slightly knew that they were next.

"Clio!" Dante yelled as he walked over.

"Oh poo… looks like our time is up boys." The three boys ran over to Dante with sheer hatred in their faces.

"What the hell man!"

"You get girls all the time and when we get one you have to ruin it for us!"

"Get the fuck out of here man! This shorty is ours!"

Dante looked pasted the boys and just stared at Clio.

"Hand them over." Dante said firmly, he knew what her plans where.

"I don't know what you're talking about?" She said with a finger to her lip to try and look innocent. "I was just enjoying the company of some real men." The three boys' jaws dropped and returned their yelling at Dante.

"Issei." Dante looked down to his student. His eyes cold and affirming. "This woman will ruin you, I know your hard up to get some but listen. You see that huge guy back there." Dante pointed back to Anthony who just gave back friendly waved. "He will stomp on your…" Dante didn't even need to finish that sentence before all three boys moved behind him.

"Devil woman!"

"You almost got me a fate worse than death."

The third just shouted out profanity and false bravado in atrocious amounts.

"Why did you have to ruin my fun." Clio said as she took out the boys wallets from her shirt causing thee three to form minor nose bleeds. Clio threw the wallets back to Dante and after another stare down she handed him back their cash. Dante slightly grimaced at the thought that it was very likely that those wallets were going to be part of the boys' late night alone fun for months to come as it was as close to a woman's chest that they were going to get. Dante shooed the boys away and the two walked to a secluded area of the school where no was or even in sight so he could have a talk with his old friend with some privacy.

"Why are you two here?" Dante asked honestly. Clio looked away looking slightly annoyed.

"Aunty Leonte. She's mad with me."

"The old Gipsy fortune teller? Never known you to be the superstitious type."

"Listen… your grandfather was always into some weird stuff right?" Clio said looking away with a look of shame and fear. "Like that prayer you do every morning, stuff about death and supernatural shit."

"Yeah… what does this have to Aunty Leonte?"

"See was why me and Anthony left the circus. She had us run all over the world and get her things and met with people. She said that they all were her cousins or other family. But… the last year has been getting really hard. More often than not after we met up with one of her contacts I end up in some ditch somewhere." Dante just listened to his friend as the look of worry grew worse. "I'm getting really scared Dante, I keep have nightmares and…" Clio stopped herself before continuing. "Well whatever, the point is things have started getting bad and me and Anthony wanted out. But Aunty Leonte didn't agree and sent something after us."

"Something?"

"I know I always said I never believed her when she said she had _real_ Gipsy magic. But after the last few months I'm starting to believe her. Your grandfather believed me and told me to find you."

" _Wait a moment… grandad died… at… eighty-three. Wait, that means I can see him again! Fucking Bastard! He saw Clio before his grandson! And… he had everyone hanging on to his every word those last few months! Rias is going to tell me how to get in touch and I'm going… never mind, I have bigger problems._ " Dante refocused on Clio. "But um… my grandad is dead."

"I know, but his ghost came to me." Clio then began to tell Dante about the night his grandfather came to her. Dante held back the announce at the fact that it was very similar to the Jacob Marley scene from A Christmas Carol. "And then he flew around like this… whosh…" Clio said as she began physically demonstrating what happened next.

"Okay… yeah… that's the old bastard. I believe you."

"Great! He said you would… so umm… what now? He said that you could help us."

"I can… but you said that you were going to help me with Beatrice."

"Oh that? Well that's on the house, can't have you chained down to some psycho ha ha…" Clio laughed as she patted Dante's head. "You'd be no fun that way."

"Yeah sure…" Dante said smiling as he pushed her hand away. "… I'll find out what's going on with you and in the mean time I need you to find out where Beatrice is staying. If I knew that then at least I can plan around that."

"Tail the bitch, got it."

Later Dante was sitting on the couch in the Occult Research Club. It was just him and Rias in the room. He had just explained his friendship to Clio and Anthony. Rias had started to notice a theme in Dante's friends. They all met due to his parents' negligence. He met Minamoto when his father left him in Japan, Dante had met Clio and Antony when Dante had run away to the circus a year later. Clio and Antony were born into a traveling circus and when it came to Florence Dante had tried to run away and live with them. It didn't last very long but long enough to form a bond with the pair.

But what interested Rias the most was Aunty Leonte, the Gipsy clans didn't act this way. Most of them just wanted to be left alone and would never do anything to draw attention to themselves. But Rias knew that this was important to Dante and would look into this.

"So is everything good?" Dante asked, unsure what Rias was thinking about.

"Yes… I think using them to tail Beatrice was a good idea."

"Thanks…" Dante's eyes narrowed for the next part. "Now. Tell me how I can talk to my grandad again, that old man needs a lesion taught to him."

"I thought you love and respected him. What changed?"

"That bastard milked his death! He knew that he wasn't really going to die and yet he had the whole family waiting on him hand and foot, often literally, all the time! Oh I can see it now, him laughing at the rest of us." Rias quieted her laughter and kept a straight face while Dante ranted.

"Well I'm sure that we can work something out. But one thing we need to do now is work on getting you ready for the day Beatrice comes for you and won't take no for an answer. She herself won't be a problem but that other one will certainly be a problem. So we need to get you in shape." Dante looked confused, he was already very fit. He made sure to eat very good and exercised often. "Come on, this way." Rias motioned him to follow her and he did so. The two stood on an open part of the room and Rias formed the magic circle to teleport them to their training grounds. When Dante opened his eyes they were up in the mountains. "This is where you will be training." Dante looked behind him and saw the rest of Rias peerage.

"Hey guys… so… what are we doing?" Dante asked though from comics and TV he had a pretty good idea. Koneko pointed out to the tree.

"Go over there and get that thing out." Dante sighed, none of them had really gotten used to the sounds that his scythe made when exiting his body.

"No need for that…" Using a trick Rias taught him, Dante pulled his scythe out of his shoulder and made no sounds using a small magic circle to muffle the sound. "See."

"Still gross." Koneko once again said in an almost monotone like way.

"So Dante, today you'll be fighting Yuuto with your Scythe and then barehanded against Koneko and then working on dodging Akeno." Rias explained as everyone but Yuuto took a few steps back.

"Let's get to work Dante." Yuuto said as he readied his sword. Dante in turn readied for an attack. Dante's mind raced, he had strength as a Rook but Yuuto had speed. From the way Dante saw it speed had the advantage, strength only worked as long as he could hit him.

Yuuto was the first one to move. He charged at Dante with blinding speed and Dante was only able to block him with his scythe's pole due to Dante's ingrained Grim Reaper instincts. Yuuto jumped back and attempted to get around Dante's wall of a scythe by hitting behind. Dante only barely blocked it with the end of his scythe. In attempt to try and slow the faster Yuuto down Dante smashed the same end in to the ground to disrupt Yuuto's footing.

" _Yes! And now I just…_ " In the same moment Yuuto fell back, Dante pushed his scythe forward its bottom tip still in the ground causing the weapon to fall down on the escaping Knight. Yuuto had to use even more of his speed to escape the falling pole that would have trapped him. Take advantage of the temporary disabling of his opponent's weapon Yuuto moves to end this round but before he can finish his move Dante grabs his wrist and throws him into the tree line.

"He seems to be doing well." Akeno commented as they watched Dante pull his scythe out of the ruined ground. Dante began walking to where he threw Yuuto as the Knight rushed back for round two.

"He certainly is." Rias said in agreement while Koneko just watched the fight unfold but then noticed that someone was watching the whole thing. Koneko focused on the figure just past most people's field of view but not her own. It didn't look like that girl that kept bothering her friends, it looked more like a man.

"Rias… there's a guy over there." Rias focused on the figure that Koneko pointed out barely able to see him. Rias recognized him as Dante's Jinn roommate.

"Its fine, he's a friend of Dante. Ignore him." But internally Rias was worried, she wanted to know just how he found this place. Koneko and Akeno looked at their King observantly and then went back to the fight. The fight continued to drag on until Rias called it a tie and saying that both did a great job. She told them to take a break and that Dante will be taking on Koneko barehanded next in a few minutes. Rias took this time to investigate just what Minamoto was doing here. To her surprise he didn't vanish when she walked towards her. "What are you doing here?"

"Watching my friend train, he needs to get stronger if he wants to fight for his freedom."

"Why haven't you told him about what you are?"

"Jinn are… secretive by nature. As I said before, I may only be a forth by blood, it still is very strong in me. Also… I'm not sure how he'll react."

"So you're afraid?"

"A bit, but it's not important. Right now what is… is getting him strong. He needs his Sacred Gear. He won't be able to beat the coven off without it. Any of them will scare them off."

"Yes, but I don't know how to bring it out of him."

"You do… the half breed can bring it out of him." Rias glared at the Jinn descended for his choice of words to describe a member of her peerage. "I'm not going to watch myself around you, he is far more my friend than he is your servant. But if you don't want to go down that route than confrontation with his pain is the only way to bring out his Sacred Gear."

"He can't fight her, and he certainly will never try with any killing intent."

"It's not herself that causes him pain. It's the memory of what she used to be. He needs to actually get over her, for good and forever." Minamoto threw a flask over to Rias. "That's strong magic from the middle east, it took me all the money I've been saving for the next two years of college but for Dante it's worth it. Have him drink it and if he's able he'll come out with his Sacred Gear."

"And if he's not?"

"He is. I know it." Minamoto said before beginning to walk away. Rias looked down at the flask in her hand, it was glass and in the liquid inside appeared more like sand than an actual drink but it still moved like a liquid. She looked back as the sound of the earth breaking came. As she walked back to the small clearing they were using as their training yard she could hear Dante argue that it was an accident that Koneko's clothes got torn to the point that her top had been completely destroyed. The fighting stopped as Rias returned and using magic fixed Koneko's clothes, something that Akeno could have done at any time. "I think we'll move on to the next part of training now. Rias heard Dante groan, this part was basically target practice for Akeno. But as Akeno got ready Rias stopped her. "Dante, as a Grim Reaper you have within you a Sacred Gear, one of the Scythes of Bone resides in you. And to bring it out we need you to confront the pain within you." Rias held out the flask. "Drink this."

"What will happen after I drink it." Dante said taking the glass bottle from Rias.

"I don't know; it was given to me by someone who wants to see you free." Dante raised an eyebrow at this but he had no reason not to trust Rias and so he took the flask and drank the whole thing.

"Damn… that stuff is fucking n…" Dante dropped to ground before he could finish his sentence.

* * *

Dante opened his eyes to the sight of a diner. He was in a booth and in front of him was a BLT and a side of French fries. The diner itself was one of those classic American diners with sliver metal and red leather. Outside the window looked to be a small town and it was currently raining.

"Uh…" Dante looked around but didn't see anyone, not a waitress, cook, or any other customers.

"It's pretty boring here isn't it?" Dante looked across him and saw a man sitting across from him in the booth. He had baggy jeans, no shirt but a jacket with fur along the cuffs and collar with its hood over the man's face. The man's skin was jet black but also looked clammy and decayed like a corpse. He was eating the other half of Dante's BLT.

"Please tell me this isn't like my inner world or mindscape or something like that." The man laughed.

"Oh don't worry, I made this place." The man wiped his face off after saying this. His face was covered in white geometric patterns that changed every time Dante focused on them. "That stuff you took was supposed to bring you inside your head so you can face a manifestation of your left over feelings for that girl."

"But I don't…"

"Yes you do." The man cut Dante off before taking another bite. "But don't worry, you'll get your Sacred Gear, but that pain's staying. You need it. You'll never grow without it. Pain is what drives humanity forward because without pain how are we to enjoy the time we have without it."

"Why… who… what?"

"Listen boy… you're my apostle. You figure the hows and whys on your own." The man said as he took the last bite from Dante's sandwich. "Now go back, your girlfriend's crying has gotten annoying." The man said as he took the other half of the BLT and before Dante could protest he felt the world he was in slipping from his mind.

* * *

The next time Dante woke up he was back in his bed. He saw Rias next to him but for once fully clothed.

"I honestly didn't think it was that strong." Dante looked to over to see his best friend sitting across from his bed. "She hasn't left your side the entire time." Dante just looked back, confused as to what was going on. Minamoto sighed and let his body turn to smoke, all that was left in his place was a fairly human like shape of smoke and three yellow orbs that served as eyes. Minamoto quickly turned back.

"So… what are you?" Dante asked trying to remain calm as to not wake the girl next to him.

"I'm one forth Jinn… they're a tribe of spirits that live independent of Heaven and Hell. My grandmother on my mother's side was one but the blood holds true for several generations until it even starts to dilute.

"How long had you known what I was?"

"Since I was twelve and my mother told me. she told me all about Grim Reapers but I had no idea about Beatrice until she showed up that first day."

"I see." Dante turned back to the ceiling.

"Still friends?" Minamoto was worried about might come next. Would his best friend be angry, disappointed that he had kept this from him?

"Yeah… it's not like you lied to my face. And you didn't even know for most of our friendship and even after you learned it wasn't like you could have told me. I mean I would have called you crazy for telling the truth." The jinn decedent look puzzled, Dante's answer was in a fact a bit anticlimactic to a secret that had plagued Minamoto for so long. But he somehow knew that it was how his friend would react.

"Thank you… I… I was really worried…"

"Forget it… now what did you mean by you didn't think it was that strong?"

"Oh… I was the one who gave Rias the stuff that you drank. It took me everything I saved for the next two years of college. I didn't think it would knock you out for a full week."

"Damn. There's going to be a shit ton of ho… wait. You spent all that money on me? Why?"

"Because you needed it. You need your Sacred Gear to get free of that bitch. It's not a problem."

"It is a problem…" Dante's face turned into a scowl and turned bright red. "Go in my wallet." Minamoto raised an eyebrow but did as his friend asked. "There's a black card, take it out and go to any bank and take out whatever you paid for it."

"What? What is this?" Minamoto asked as he held the jet black credit card.

"It's a card connected to my family's company. My stepfather calls it the fix all card."

"Wow… wait… why haven't we used this to pay rent and everything else?"

"Because the moment I use it he's going to call and be like _Well looks like you couldn't make it on your own._ and he'll say it all smug and shit. I hate it when…" Dante's face went back to a bright red when Rias moved to embrace him even more. "Hey. Can you get her off me please before she starts straddling me?"

"Nope… I think I'm going to the bank and maybe I'll pay a few bills while I'm at it." Minamoto said as he left the room leaving Dante alone with the girl currently pulling him closer.

"Damn bastard…" Dante looked over at Rias, he was pretty sure that she had woken up during his and Minamoto's conversion but was now faking. He had to catch her and going back on all his knowledge on the fairer sex he knew that there was one emotion that they all had that when it came to him. "I think I'm going to ask Akeno on a date later." Dante felt Rias' knee hit his gut seconds after speaking. " _Uep, that worked._ " Dante internally groaned. "I knew it… you were awake." Dante said while holding on to his gut.

"It's good to see that your awake." Rias said a bit jaded from Dante's choice of words and that he exposed her. "So what happened to you?" Rias said returning to her usual self.

"I don't remember much… there was a guy, he kept taking my food, something about crying, the word apostle, but I do remember that I got my Sacred Gear." Dante held up his hand and a ball of steel formed in it shaping to a crown like band, each side of the band had six jagged petals and on the center of the band had a small skull with sharpened teeth and a slit running down its forehead.

"That's one of the seven crowns of death." Rias said as she took the band from Dante.

"I thought my Scythe was the Sacred Gear?"

"It is, the Scythes of Bone are the actual Sacred Gear but the Crowns are like badges of honor that mark those that have gain their Sacred Gear. You need to wear it when you want to use the Sacred Gear though." Rias handed the band back to its owner. "If I remember right that's the Crown of the End, meaning you have the Blade of Finality. Any cut you make is final, it can never be healed and will never close with time."

"That sounds like a massively over powered Sacred Gear, one cut and it's over."

"That's not the case though, the Blade of Finality can be blocked by anything. It only works on the first physical thing it cuts. Say someone has armor or even clothes, the blade will curse the metal or cloth and then become a normal blade before it reaches what you really want it to."

"Good by OP I knew you but for a moment." Dante joked as he sat back up.

"It's still a pretty amazing Sacred Gear, it was made infamous by a Reaper that had supposedly used it to permanently injure an Aztec God."

"I'm not saying it's not great I'm just… oh never mind." Dante said as he got up. "So I missed a week huh… what did you tell the school?" Dante said as he stretched out his body.

"I told the school that you had been injured while helping me move my stuff in to your apartment. I have been sleeping here for the past three weeks, might as well make it a bit more official." Dante stared back the red haired Devil.

"You told them that… and you fully understand how fast gossip travels in that place. Those girls are going to tear me to shreds." Dante moaned as he fell to the floor in despair at the thought of all those jealous girls. "And… and… b… Beatrice." Dante fell even more and started crawling to the corner at the thought of what she might do.

"Oh please, I'm sure she knows that we sleep together every night."

"There's a difference between you forcing me to let you sleep with me and you actually moving in!"

"Really I don't see it…" Rias said causally as she jumped off Dante's bed and started walking to his bathroom. "I'm going to take a bath; do you want to join me?"

" _Why does she keep pushing me like this. She knows that I want to but at the same time I need to keep some of my integrity. Fucking damn it!_ " Dante mentally raged. " _Sometimes I get the feeling she would like it if I was more like Issei._ "

Author's Notes

If none of you had noticed by now I'm slowly trying to bring in the Bosses from Dante's Inferno and they will serve a very important service. And if you didn't catch it, Minamoto is Minos, Clio is Cleopatra and Anthony is Mark Antony.

Reviews

BANKAIZEN- Thank you.

Devilboy101- Thank you.'

I Be Random- ask and you shall receive.

ichigo sasashi- thank you and I shall.

BrotherCaptainSheperd- Battle Brother! Glory to you and humanity! it is about the loss of control that upsets him. he doesn't know that is what it is but normally its him that gets in bed with the girl not the other way around. And it is normal human behavior to oppose any loss of control over our lives.


	3. Chapter 3

Three days later

It was the start of the weekend and to Rias something had changed in Dante, he seemed to be on edge. It was clear that to her that he had been staring at the clock in class more than normal. He seem focused on the time and was clearly in a hurry to return to the apartment. When the final bell rang he shot from his seat and out the door of the classroom creating a small breeze as the left. Rias was honestly a bit taken back by the unexpected change in Dante's behavior. And was even more surprised by the note she found in the old school building telling her that he would be unavailable for the weekend. Rias tapped her finger on her desk as her Queen read the very simple note.

"Do you think this has something to do with his succubus wife to be?" Akeno said as she put the note down. It was short and rather uncharacteristically blunt and slightly rude for Dante, lacking in his normal refined wording and almost apologetic tones.

"No… she's been avoiding a bit more since it was revealed that she has let herself…" Rias stopped before she told her best friend something that she knew wasn't something that was hers to share. "Forget I said anything, Dante's current mood must be from some other reason." Akeno looked at her King with mild interest, she had gathered that whatever that she was about to say was something that was very personal to Dante and had in the last few days dropped trying to learn it. The two turned when they heard the doors open and the other two active members of the club entered.

"Hello all… where's Dante, I thought he was here already?" Yuuto asked as he came in after he noticed the absence of the Grim Reaper Devil.

"I heard he met his ex after school and they left together." Koneko said as she sat down.

"What?!" Rias stood up at this news. And quickly formed a magic circle to teleport herself to Dante's apartment. When she appeared all she saw was a slightly shocked Minamoto with a piece of shrimp sticking out of his full month. He quickly swallowed his food, choking a bit.

"Miss Gremory?"

"Where is Dante?" Rias demanded worried over what might Beatrice have done to him.

"He's down at the curb bringing in the new TV." Minamoto didn't understand why the girl was riled up. As to save him from the anger coming off the red haired Devil the door to the apartment opened with Dante walking in while carrying the biggest TV Rias had ever seen, it barely made it through the door. Dante was also cursing loudly in Italian to whoever was on the other side of the TV. Rias was stunned to see that it was Beatrice. Just before Rias was about to demand what was going on she was stopped by Minamoto. "Best not do that when they are carrying such an expensive object." Rias glared at the Jinn descendent and quietly wait for the two finish placing the TV in front of the apartment's small couch. "Okay… go ahead." Minamoto said before covering his ears and watch as Rias walked behind Dante and tapped his shoulder.

"Care to explain yourself." Rias cold tone sent chills down the Grim Reaper's spine. He slowly turned around to see his King's smiling face with closed eyes, she was waiting for his explanation and he had a feeling that no matter what he said she was going to yell. He looked over to her to look to his friend for support but… "Don't look to Minamoto, I asked you a question." Dante was about to start sweating bullets when Beatrice stood in front of him to save him, though he honestly would have preferred Rias yelling at him rather than Beatrice feeling that she saved him.

"He doesn't need to explain anything to you. He did nothing wrong." Beatrice said irritated that the red haired tramp was even here. This was supposed to be her time with Dante. The tramp had him all to herself all the time, at school and after. He was hers and no else's.

"Dante.' Rias said as she ignored the succubus. Dante sighed and dug something out of pocket and handed it to Rias. She looked over it, it was a letter of confirming that Minamoto's cable provider had upgraded his account to include international sporting events. "What does this mean?"

"It mean that I can once again see my Fiorentina Fight and Win!" Dante yelled out triumphantly. And then calmed down. "She's just here because she's also a fan… other than that I still can't stand being in the same room as la puttana."

"Hey!"

"So you asked for the whole weekend off so you could watch one game of your football team?"

"Well today we're getting the TV and cable set up and then the surround sound and then I'm going to start the prep work for the food and then tomorrow we're going to watch reruns of old games and then on Sunday we watch Fiorentina kick some Verona ass!" Dante said very excited by the prospect of watching his home team. Rias just sighed… she certainly wasn't expecting this but it was better than Beatrice gaining control of him.

"Well it sounds like a good time, mind if I join you." Rias said much to the surprise of Dante and absolute dread of Beatrice.

"No! Dante… love… please don't let this devil harlot interrupt us reconnecting over the victory of the Fiorentina." Beatrice begged.

"Well…" Dante faked mulling over this. "… the witch seems to oppose this… so I will have to… oh this is a hard one but I have to say she can come." Rias just nodded in satisfaction at the sight of Beatrice's disappointment and suffering. "Hell invite the whole gang, the more the merrier as they say.

"Oh great… more devils." Beatrice complained as she stormed out of the apartment.

"Ah… it's like a bad itch just stopped." Dante sighed as he watched his former love leave. "Anyways, if you really want to bring everyone over for the game I'll have to buy some more food." Dante said as he walked back out of the apartment, waiting a few minutes to make sure Beatrice had left the building and was far enough away to leave.

"This is an awful idea by the way." Rias looked back at the still eating Minamoto.

"I couldn't leave him alone with her, what was I supposed to do." Rias raised an eyebrow at the now laughing Minamoto. "What?"

"You have no clue what you've gotten yourself into. I've seen what he's like when he watches those games on his laptop. Trust me, Beatrice is not a problem when it comes to this." Minamoto packed up his lunch and began towards to the door. "I highly recommended you just make up some reason for not to come. I guarantee that that monster of a TV will be sitting outside on the curb broken by Monday morning." Minamoto said before leaving the Gremory heiress alone. Rias shrugged off the Jinn decedent's warning, she wasn't about to leave her favorite servant alone with that succubus.

* * *

Moments later Rias teleported back to the Occult Research Club.

"Welcome back president, I assume that you were able to find Dante safe and sound?" Akeno asked, sure that Rias could handle Beatrice all on her own.

"Yes, it turns out that Dante merely invited Beatrice to watch their home football team in a game this Sunday."

"He needs the whole weekend for one game?" Koneko asked slightly surprised though it barely sounded like it.

"Apparently he takes it very seriously." Rias smiled as she took her seat behind her desk. "And we are all going to join him."

"Really president? That seems a bit sudden." Yuuto said but not objecting, he honestly liked the idea as he was sure that Dante you provide food and he had been wanting to try his cooking for a long time.

"That Succubus is going to be there and I'd rather have you all there so if she tries anything we can step in."

"Dante's attitude towards Beatrice has certainly turned far more hostile I rather doubt she could do anything at this point president. Are you sure that you just don't want her spending any time alone with him?" Akeno asked knowing full well what sure was doing.

"Of course I don't want her to do so, I will not have her pouch my servant." Rias said deflecting Akeno's intended point. Akeno sighed at her best friend's denial of her fun. "Now I expect you three to perform your normal summonings tonight and be ready for this Sunday." The three Devils bowed to their King and began filing out. Rias began thinking over today's events when Akeno returned.

"President, you have a guest." Akeno said as she led Sona Sitri, student council president and heir to the Sitri House. Behind her was Sona's Queen, Tsubaki Shinra.

"Sona, what brings you to the Occult Research Club?" Rias asked already knowing the answer.

"Rias, let's be forward. I need to talk to you about the succubus in the school. I've noticed that she tends to sulk around your new peerage member. Also I must congratulate you on landing a Grim, I had no idea what he was until you told me." Sona said before sipping from her tea provided by Akeno.

"Well the two are connected, he is in fact her Heart Breaker." Rias stopped to let that statement sink in.

"I see… her coven will not let this go easily. I assume they sent someone to deal with this."

"And that someone would be me." The Devils turned to the open window and the well-dressed man standing in it, hunched over just enough to fit. "Well isn't this a nice little treat, what lovely bodies the heirs to two of the great Devil houses have." The Queens quickly stood in front of their Kings to shield them from any incoming attacks. "No need for that." The man said as he hopped down to the floor. "I shall allow you the _pleasure_ of knowing my name, I am Uberto Colantoni of the Bleeding Tears Coven. And I have come to collect our lost doggy. I heard that a certain red haired heiress snatched him up. I truly hope that this was accident." Uberto flashed a perfect smile that severed only to add to creep factor.

"It was not, I have…" Rias wasn't able to finish her sentence as in a burst of speed the Incubus quickly had her pinned to the wall with his hand around her neck.

"Not One Move Or The Whore Dies!" Uberto laughed back to young Devils. "You see the thing is…" Uberto began as his other hand trailed up and down Rias' thigh. "… He's not yours! He's ours. Not yours! Ours. That how nature works, you and your Evil Pieces have been around far too short to start claiming a Heart Breaker… scratch that, that implies that it could ever. You see that brat is a Heart Breaker and that means he deserves nothing but chains and hot pokers jammed down his throat!" Uberto dropped Rias to the ground and flashed back to the window. "I'll be back for the boy in one week! And you will have him gifted wrapped in a nice shiny bow." The Incubus said before disappearing. The room was quiet for a moment and then Akeno rushed to her best friend's side.

"Rias are you okay?" Akeno asked as she helped Rias stand.

"I'm fine… it would seem the rumors surrounding their magic suppressing powers are true. I felt completely powerless. And with his speed… I doubt any of us could fight him with magic alone."

"Not only that but if we were to fight him, he would certainly use any slaves he has with him and there would be his Heart Breaker to deal with." Sona mused as looked out the window. "Heart Breakers are still human but live so long as their master does, and with all the pain and torture they go through almost on a daily basis their pain tolerance is quite remarkable."

"Any slaves can be dealt with easily; they would be only human. Its him and his Heart Breaker that are the real problems." Tsubaki added.

"Agreed… we need to think of a…" Before Rias could finish she was once again interrupted but this time it was by a tube of gift wrap flying through the window and embedding itself into the wall. A small tick formed on Rias' forehead showing her anger at the taunt. Akeno walked over and saw a small note was attached.

"It reads… you can't fight nature, you need to just give in and be the good little submissive girl all women want to be … he then drew a crude drawing of himself with hot pokers and Dante strapped to the wall." The note burst into flames once Akeno finished reading it.

"I see, so he's declaring war is he." Rias' anger was felt by everyone in the room. "I'll be sure to give him one."

* * *

Dante was carrying the first trip's worth of ingredients for Sunday's party. He wasn't going to make every match his team played this big but he was excited that he could watch the game in all its glory again. One thing he missed after moving to japan was going to see the live games, he really missed throwing things at the stupid referees.

As he turned another corner he heard his phone go off. The ring tone that was playing was one he was expecting and dreading. He set down the bag in his right and took out his phone.

"Yes, what do you want stepfather?" Dante groaned out.

"Soooooo guess what happened this morning, I was going through the accounts and saw that someone withdrew quite the large stack'o cash from the Fix It With Money fund. I checked with your mother and brother and found that they didn't use it." Dante kept the groan back, if he was going to get through this he needed to let the fat bastard gloat and shame Dante and be done. He key was not to put up any fight and just let him bluster. "Now what happened to all that talk about how _I'll never need your money, I can make it on my own_ , What happened to that? You know I think I actually respected you for a moment, you looked like you were shaping up to be a fine young man ready for the duties of team player in the company and in the family. But now… all gone. Not one drop of respect is left, your just some spoiled kid who can't live without their trust fund." Dante knew that he was lying, He never respected Dante's own will power when it came to money. To Dante money was a tool and not a toy. The fact his stepfather had set up a Fix It With Money fund was all the proof Dante needed to know just how he saw money. He heard the man sigh and take a deep breath. "Enough telling you how once again you continue to disappoint me. How has the east treated you?" That wasn't what he was asking, what he wanted to know was if Dante had screwed up his plans somehow.

"Its been fine, I've been staying at Minamoto's and I've been getting good grades."

"I don't care about any of that, have you made any contacts among your classmates? That school holds the children of tycoons and powerful people in the Japanese Government. The whole pint of you going wasn't so you could hang about with that commoner and make good grades that don't really matter in the end. I need you to make important ties to the right people."

"I have made a few friends…"

"You haven't gotten any of them pregnant have you?"

"No."

'Good, a true man remains faithful to his woman." That actually was one of the few things about the bastard that Dante considered redeemable. He never cheated on his mother. "I'm sure you're happy that I and Mr. Portinari were able to enroll Beatrice along with you. I just couldn't dare to separate you two love birds." Translation, I sent her to make sure you behave.

"Yes… thank you for that." Dante couldn't help but grind this out causing a small silence to follow.

"Now listen here you little shit. You will not ruin this; we have the opportunity of a life time. And I will not let you fuck this up because it doesn't feel right to you! Get over it! You are going to marry the girl the day you two are legal. Got it?! No you don't even get that! You just do what I tell you and you get the perfect life, so shut the fuck up and that's it!" He raged before hanging up. Dante stared at his phone considering throwing it at the ground. That was the other half of his problem. Beatrice was only the clingy and soul sucking first half, his stepfather was the other. Dante honestly didn't need the money his family had. He had gone over his daily and monthly expenses and was sure that the loss of his stepfather support wouldn't do much damage. He had a small trust fund that his own father set up that his new one couldn't touch. Not even his mother could interfere with it, but that money was going run out in about seven years and only about nine if he cut back to the bare minimum. But now he had another source of income from his Devil contracts that he received a small percent of. With that and whatever job he would get once school was finished Dante was sure that he could live without his family money.

The real problem was his father vindictive personality, there was no way that when Dante told him what he was really going to do that he would just let him go. First he would try and blackmail Dante with… well there was really nothing he had on Dante. Then he would threaten to cut him off, already not a problem with Dante. Then he would threaten to disown him, and that was where things got complicated. TO be disowned meant a few things. One, Dante would be shunned by his whole family and everyone high enough to care in the company. Second, he couldn't go back to Florence, doing that would guarantee that he would be killed in a _Mugging_ , thirdly it wouldn't be long before he would be framed for some smuggling charges that should go to his stepfather. It was this last one that was the real problem, he wasn't sure how his stepfather would do this be he would.

"Maybe Rias could help me fake my death or something… ahhh hopeful dreams." Dante sighed and picked his bag back up and continued on his way back home.

* * *

"Soshitsu!" Minamoto's boss yelled to him over the sounds of the auto shop floor. Minamoto pushed himself out from under the pickup he had been working on and stood up. "Some girl says she needs to talk to you." Minamoto was confused, could it be that chick that he went out with last week? No, things didn't go well enough for him to tell her where he worked. So in his head that could only leave… miss Gremory. Minamoto held back the groan as he walked over to his boss. But before he walked pass his boss stopped him. "Are you involved with her… in… you know?"

"No, sir."

"Good…" His boss said with a pat on the back. "You're a good worker, hate to see you get involved in something disreputable." Minamoto's boss said before returning to his job of overseeing the floor. The Jinn descendent sighed and walked out to the front of the building and was surprised at not seeing the young Gremory heiress but a girl with long black hair but she was wearing the same uniform as miss Gremory did. He thought he might have seen her before… oh! She was the half breed that served as miss Gremory's Queen.

"You're in that club my roommate belongs to." Minamoto said as he walked over. This place was too public to speak plainly. Akeno looked up at the man in front of her, she had been told by Dante and Rias that he was some goth. But the man standing before her was rather handsome and couldn't be more than two years older than herself but that wasn't important right now.

"Yes, my president wanted me to ask you if would be willing to join her peerage?" Akeno didn't understand just what Rias was thinking. There was no way he was going to accept.

"And why would I do that?" Minamoto asked as he absentmindedly cleaned his hands with a rag.

"Hm… well, I don't really know why you would I guess. You're not dying and you have no real personal reason."

"Then why did miss Gremory ask you to come and ask me if my answer was so clear? I understand that I'm attractive prospect for a member of her peerage."

"Among other things." Akeno whispered to herself much to her surprise, she was normally more bold with her comments.

"What was that?" Minamoto couldn't hear what the girl said. She was strange, she seemed to hold herself confidently and her tone was… he wanted to say causal but he knew that it was more than likely flirty. "Anyways… if that was all then I need to get back to work."

"Have a pleasant day Mr. Soshitsu." Akeno said before bowing.

"No… don't do that. It's just Minamoto." He groaned as he waved away the bow.

* * *

Dante was doing something he loved. Cooking. He loved every part, chopping the vegetables, braising the meat, cooking it all up. And everything in between. He loved the look on people's faces when the ate it. And now he was getting ready for the party he was hosting in two days. He would be happy if not for the fact that a certain someone was standing in what over the last two months had become his kitchen.

"I think your cooking that chicken a little too rare… you wouldn't want me to get sick now would you love." Beatrice said as sweetly as she could. It just irked Dante when someone told him how to cook.

"Oh I would throw a parade if I could." Dante smirked as he felt her mood sour at his comment. Dante continued to chop through garlic. Dante then felt Rias teleport back into the apartment. "Welcome back Rias…" Dante looked over to see Beatrice being held up by Rias' magic, it looked painful. "… Now now Rias… save that fun for later." Dante slightly joked.

"Let me down tramp!" Beatrice yelled out before her mouth was covered by the dark and red magic.

"Your friend Uberto came by, I really did not like his way of speaking to me." Rias said, the anger flowing out in the sternness of her words.

"Who's Uberto?" Dante asked looking up from his chops. Rias stopped as she remembered what he told her the night the other Heart Breaker and what the implications of that information were. She tightened her grip on the succubus. Dante's grip also tightened around his knife. "Who's Uberto?" This was more a snarl.

Beatrice was getting worried. That bastard revealed himself too soon. If he would have just waited a few more days she would have had her love back but now it could be all ruined. The magic around Beatrice's mouth receded.

"My love! Are you going to let her treat me like this?" Beatrice called out to Dante but it fell on deaf ears. Rias was currently unsure if she should continue, Dante looked like he was happy a moment ago and now she was about to remind him of one of the worst moment of his life. She watched as he walked over to the trapped Beatrice.

"Who's Uberto?"

"My love, I want you to know that if you had just been with me I wouldn't need to go to that piece of trash." Dante just stood there and listened to the words. They came through but failed to connect in his mind. He already figured out who the man was. In the background was some noise, he honestly didn't care what it was… it sounded like Beatrice's voice but again.. he didn't care what it was. But when the noise stopped he turned around and quietly walked out of the apartment.

Rias and Beatrice just watched as the teen Grim Reaper walk out. One was clearly concerned and a bit scared while the other was smug sure that he had forgiven her, his silence and inaction against her as proof of that. Rias dropped the girl and went follow him.

"Why bother? He'll be mine soon enough." The sound of Beatrice's voice echoed in Rias' mind. She knew Beatrice was deluding herself if she thought that. Rias found Dante standing outside and he was smoking.

"I wasn't aware that you smoked." Rias said carefully as she walked up next to him.

"These are Minamoto's. He gets nervous around exam time… it's a bit funny when you think about it. He's a Jinn and can turn into smoke yet he…" He held up the cigarette to show his point before taking a drag from it. "But why am I smoking right now… well I wasn't Beatrice's first boyfriend." Dante said before taking another drag "And she hates him… I wouldn't be surprised if one of the first things she did when she became what she is now was kill him. And he smoked all the time."

"So you're doing this to spite her." She watched as he breathed out as he thought over her words.

"I think this is a far more sensible thing to do than going off on a rampage, killing everything in my way as I hunt down the vile dirt bag that touched her."

"I suppose when you put it like that." Rias was concerned, she was having a hard time understanding Dante's line of thinking. She wanted to help but didn't know just how to. So she was just going to let him deal with this in his own way and help where she could.

'You know… this wasn't my first idea." Rias looked back at the Rook a bit surprised that he would think up other ideas in the short time and in a heated mindset. "The first one was to kiss you in front of her." There was a small quiet after Dante revealed this. "I'm sorry for thinking that you would go along with such a stupid idea"

"No… it quite alright. You were… still are feeling distraught." Rias internally was conflicted, he was apologizing for something he thought about. "But can I ask… why are you sorry? If its for my sake…"

"That's not the only reason. While it is true that I hate the idea of in a way forcing myself on you simply to cause Beatrice pain. The other reason is because I find the event of two people's first kiss to be an important one. Something to be cherished and valued, it should never be born out hate." Dante said as he finished off his cigarette and dropped it on the ground. "A first kiss must always be born out of love and nothing less. Otherwise it holds no real meaning." Dante ground out the butt as he spoke.

"Are you saying that our first kiss should be born out of love." Rias said with a smile playing at her face as Dante's jaw dropped as he followed her logic. He began trying to deny the fact that she was in the right in that that was what he had basically said.

* * *

The next day.

Koneko sat in the old school building absentmindedly eating from the plate of Macadamia nut and caramel glazed cookies that Dante had sent the club but it was addressed to her. Dante had started showering her with homemade sweets in an attempt to apologize for that incident during training. She knew that it was an accident but she wasn't going to stop him from saying sorry.

Koneko's personal opinion on her fellow Rook had pretty much finished forming. She thought he was a pretty good guy, he was dependable, and his sweets were the best she had ever had. Out of all of the peerage members, she was the one that Dante spent the most time with, minus the president.

She particularly liked the time he scared away some bullies that were bugging her on her way home from a club meeting. They were from her middle school and begun teasing her about her heir, they had done this sevreal times and she assumed that Dante found out from Rias and had decided to step in. He took some of his roommate's goth stuff and make up and dress like the stereotypical Grim Reaper and even used a fog machine in his performance. In the end the bullies never showed up to tease her again.

Koneko also enjoyed watching Dante go all drill sergeant on that pervert Issei. Every day for the last two weeks the two of them met after school where Dante would begin training him in the ways of proper male behavior. Personally Koneko thought the pervert was a lost cause. But day in day out Dante would try to drill things like self-control and in his words Common Fucking Decency into Issei. And although neither really sunk in, Dante said that he was in fact making progress. Dante had told the Peerage that Issei had a good core, under all that grime and perversion was a good kid. Koneko still had her doubts given the fact that she had still heard mobs of angry female students chasing him and his friends.

Koneko was going to change thought topics but stopped when she noticed that she was out of cookies. She sighed and took out one for the many baskets that were filled with various sweets and opened it up to get at the goodies inside.

* * *

The next day

Yuuto watched as Dante screamed at the TV as the referee made a call. Yuuto didn't really understand why Dante was so angry, he didn't understand the game to begin with. He was more of a baseball fan.

"COME ON! GET YOUR HEAD OUT YOUR ASS AND YOU COULD SEE THAT HE WAS FAKING IT!" Dante continued to scream as the game went on.

Rias looked at the smirking Minamoto as they both watched from the kitchen. She had no idea how seriously Dante took his football. But it was a little endearing to see the normally cool and calm Dante showing such emotion over something as mundane as sports.

Currently they were all in Dante and Minamoto (and Rias)'s apartment. They were watching the football game between Dante's home city of Florence and Verona. Yuuto and Akeno were mostly here for the food but were clearly enjoying themselves, Koneko was sitting next to Dante watching the game quietly and every now and then would sit Dante back down and same something to quiet him down, Beatrice was still here as Dante's love his home team apparently made her presence tolerable, while Rias just watched the whole thing with Minamoto in the kitchen.

"You don't have a problem with her being here." Minamoto asked before taking another bite of his food.

"If Dante doesn't then I have no objections." Rias glared as she watched Beatrice hold on to Dante arm happily. He was too distracted to notice, she knew that he would normally throw her off and yell at her but the current sight still made her a bit mad.

"You think it should be you next to him?" Minamoto slyly asked when he noticed the young heiress line of sight.

"What?! And what do you mean by that?" Rias' mind jumped a step before she could respond in a more controlled manner. Inside she cursed herself, Minamoto was like a male Akeno with all his prodding and suggestive comments on her and Dante's relationship. Minamoto just smiled in response. "Why don't you just go and gossip with Akeno if your so inclined to make such accusations."

"Maybe I will, we could compare notes." Minamoto half joked. "And while we're on the subject, I know exactly why you sent her to me."

"I don't know what you could mean by that." Rias said as she held up her tea cup to cover her smile. "I wanted you to join my peerage and I sent her to offer it to you nothing more nothing less." Before Minamoto could counter her he was interrupted by Dante's continued yelling and before he could return his attention to the red hair Devil she was gone and the next he saw her she was talking with her queen and looking at him. All he wanted right now was to out his make u back on and jam out to his music in the dark of his room but he had to be here for his friend.

"GET YOUR FUCKING EYES CHECKED REFF! HE CLEALY… uhp." Dante was slammed back down to the couch by a strong hand from Koneko.

"Sit down and shut up." Koneko said as her attention returned to the game. "I can't hear when you yell."

"Yeah okay…" Dante said solemnly as he began watching again.

"You be quiet little girl, Dnate can be as loud as he wants, you go ahead dear." Beatrice smiled as she looked up to find Dante glaring down at her, or more specifically her arms around his left one.

"Stop touching me." Dante said as he realized that Beatrice was in fact touching only gripped him tighter.

"Why should I?"

"Don't ruin today you two." Koneko shocking the fighting Exes. "There are other people in this room you know." Dante looked back the succubus and simply grunted something about _fixing things later_ and returned his focus on the game on the TV.

The rest of the party went well enough; Dante's food had helped keep people happy but most were good with each other for company having been friends for a long time or were becoming fast friends with the only real social outcast being Beatrice. She didn't care enough about the others to care if she had been labeled as such anyways. And true to Minamoto prediction, Dante had thrown a chair at the TV when his team lost. So the TV was currently sitting on their curb slightly smoking.

* * *

Monday, after classes.

Rias had gathered her peerage, she informed them of Uberto's declaration that he would return next Friday to collect Dante. To say Dante was mad was a great understatement. He was not going to be collected by that man and he made it very clear that he would chop off his head the second he saw him. Rias agreed with the sentiment completely, and to a degree that slightly scared Yuuto and even Koneko. Akeno knew exactly the reason why Rias was being extra fierce and it wasn't just because of Uberto's treatment of her.

"So we'll be stepping up your training. Starting with getting you your familiar." Rias said with a confident smile. She quickly summoned her own familiar to her side to demonstrate. "A familiar is a important part of being a Devil, they are there to help you and be there for you. There are many different kinds of monsters and spirits that can act as your familiar. Now the familiar master the Gremory house uses is currently sick and can't be reached but I was able to find a suitable replacement." Rias explained as Dante thought about what kind of cool monster he could have as a familiar.

"Alright, let's get moving… this is going to be awesome, my own pet monster." Dante said as he stood up ready to go.

"If you're all ready we can get moving." Rias watched as the rest of her peerage nodded and they all stood in the middle of a now forming magic circle. They all were quickly teleported to a dark forest, completely devoid of any signs of life. Dante was a little disappointed at the lack of roaming monsters just ready to be caught.

"About time you all got here." A stern voice yelled out as the Gremory peerage watched the owned stomp out of the forest. "Fucking trees… I hate being out here so let's get this over with." The man was dressed in green cargo pants and black boots, and over his bare torso was a red leather vest, all across his body and face were scars that seem to be quite old but hadn't healed right. His green eyes twitched back and forth like he was expecting something to come after him.

"Greeting Familiar Master Sepius, I thank you for making it out here on such short notice." Rias said with a respectful bow. The man seemed to dismiss Rias greetings and focused on Dante.

"You. Brat. Come her'." Dante shuddered, that was what angry drunk people said before that went batshit crazy. Dante slowly walked up to the scarred man only for him to pull him into a head lock. "Now listen… let's just get this over with. SO don't tell me that you don't know what you want or give me I want something that is cute bullshit. You're a Grim right?" Dante nodded. "Good… you get something cold, Grims do better when the temperature goes down." Sepisu let Dante go and began walking down the small path the were on. "Come on! There's a few Yetis around here somewhere…" The familiar master grumbled and waved for the rest to follow him. They all did so and began following him through the forest. It was a full ten minutes before they could see off in the distance a small mountain capped with snow. "Should be plenty of Icey monsters in that bitch. Come on kiddies, let's get movin'." A moment later they all felt the ground shake. It was like something was walking toward them. Sepius stopped dead in his tracks and turned to the right of the trail with a deep frown on his face.

"Uh… Mr. Sepius? What is that?" Yuuto asked as the shaking got closer. But Sepius didn't answer, he just stared at where he knew the beast was going to show up.

It was in a moment, all of a sudden out of nowhere came a crash. Sending earth and trees in every direction. When the Devils looked back up what they saw horrified four of them and amazed one. It was tall as a three story building and about as large as a city block. Its body resembled a turtle but without a shell, though black jagged rocks jutted out of its body to form something like natural armor. But where a turtle's head would be was instead three worm like necks extending out ending in lipless human mouths. On each corner of the mouths were smaller worm like extensions ending in the same lipless mouth. The three heads focused on the group and began emitting a growl like sound but it felt more like a gargle.

"Everyone…" Sepius whispered to the younger Devils. "… I really hope you all are ready for one hell of a fight." Sepius was quiet honestly worried, these monsters were some of the strongest in the forest, they were thankfully rare and he had yet to hear of one that was to be tamed. Mostly they simply acted as the forest's garbage disposal, eating everything that didn't run away first, which meant dead things as everything ran far away when it started moving towards them.

"I want that one." Dante said in much the same way a child would for a toy in a store. The familiar master just looked dumbfounded by Dante's complete stupidity. Yuuto joined him on the inside but did his best to hide it. Koneko had expected this form the moment she saw the llok on his face. Akeno just hide her laughter behind his hand. And Rias just smiled at Dante's reckless choice.

"Are you brain damaged!" Sepius yelled out before covering his mouth. He looked back at the imposing monster how was very surprisingly not doing much but… well not watching since it didn't have eyes but it clearly had an idea of what was happening. The middle head lowered down to Dante and shocking everyone didn't try to eat him. "You got to be fucking kidding me…" Sepius said as he watched with his right eye twitching, the Grim Reaper was petting the head and the head did something that could be called purring in response to the show of affection.

"I think I'm going to call you Cerberus." Dante said as the other two heads leaned down to also receive some attention.

"But… it's not." Sepius groaned. "That is not a Cerberi in fact we call these guys Gluttons." At that moment the other Devils felt a chill of fear run down their spine at the implications of that statement, there were more of these things. "But I want to go back home, so if that thing is willing then lets get the contact done." Sepius said with a slight shrug. After a bit of prep work to deal with the sheer size of the monster. Once the contract was completed and Dante took Cerberus for a joy ride with him riding the middle head and the Peerage ridding on its back, the young Devils left the forest and returned to the old school building.

"Well that certainly was fun." Rias slightly sighed. "I think we've done enough for the day. I want you all to head home and get a good night's rest. Tomorrow we are going to be working on getting Dante's magic ready." Rias' peerage nodded in confirmation and began to return back to their homes. Soon leaving only Rias and her queen.

"It would seem Dante simply has a knack for surprising those around him. How would have thought that he would tame such a beast."

"Yes, but his familiar is almost useless to our current problem. Its far to big and destructive to use anywhere in the human world unless powerful magic would be employed to hide it. In a Ratings Game or somewhere else it would make a great asset but here... we're going to need to improve Dante's own skills."

"It certainly looks to be that way. Have you heard any word back from your brother on the subject? The Bleeding Tears Coven is currently allied with the fallen angels, if we fight there might be some problems." Rias smile left her at the mention of her brother, she still held a deep grudge at him for arranging her marriage to that pig Riser.

"Yes, apparently the alliance between the two factions was at best simply out of preference on the Coven's side and the Fallen Angels just didn't decline. But now that the Coven is causing problems they've abandoned them. Though from the way he said it I doubt they were actually told."

"It certainly sounds like Fallen Angels." Rias could hear the edge in her Queen's words but understood it and let it go.

"But as for the Incubus on our door step, I think that all we need do is beat him back, if necessary kill him. The Coven will more than likely cut its ties with Beatrice at that point, seeing her as to much trouble."

* * *

Tuesday.

The whole Gremory peerage was currently standing in a clearing so to not be discovered while they worked on Dante's magic. Akeno had just gone of the basics and Dante was trying to form a simple ball of magic. Though…

"Comeondamnit!" Dante growled to himself as he stood there trying to form anything in his hands. The other members of the peerage watched on as Dante struggled to perform this very basic task. They all knew why Dante was having such a hard time but wanted to see him squirm a bit. Eventually Dante heard one of them cover a small laugh. "You're all screwing with me aren't you?!"

'Not at all Dante." Akeno answered. "We were simply waiting for you to come to the conclusion that you couldn't do it."

" _Bullshit._ " Dante thought to himself though it was very easy to tell that was what was on his mind. "Then why have me do this if I can't?"

"Grim Reapers are incapable of performing normal magic, they instead use one of the three tenets of death, Chill, Certainty, and Calamity. More commonly referred to as the three Cs of death. Since you already have the Blade of Finality the tenet of Certainty is rendered unnecessary. It mostly deals with Hexes and other curses that damage your enemies. Leaving you with the Tenets of Chill and Calamity." Akeno explained to Dante.

"I recommend the Tenet of Chill, not only does it tend to keep to ranged attacks and good defenses but it also lowers the temperature around you, and Grim Reapers' power levels go up the colder it gets." Rias suggested causing Akeno look back with a slight look of surprise. While everything she said was true, Akeno knew that the Tenet of Chill would be perfect for a fight with someone like Riser Phenex, it surprised her that Rias would be so underhanded about the whole thing.

"Well that sounds good, I always liked the winter over summer anyways." Dante said now knowing just why he felt that way.

"You need to imagine the cold, a frozen tundra as far as you can see. Not a fire or light anywhere." Once Akeno finished speaking Dante did as she said. In his mind he thought about what he imagined Siberia looked like as that was the first place he thought of. Soon the grass under Dante's feet grew frost and quickly spread until a circle of frozen grass five feet wide formed. "Very good. Now we'll start to work on controlling this power.

* * *

Wednesday

"You want me to what?" Issei asked his mentor.

"I want you to stick your head in a bucket of ice water every time you think of a woman's chest." Dante stated, waving to the sevreal buckets Anthony was setting up on the track field. "We are returning to the negative reinforcement tactic. I thought about going over proper date plans but surprisingly you have that in spades. Good job Issei." Dante giving the young pervert a thumbs.

"Really you think so? Well alright!" Issei began celebrating the praise from his mentor.

"We still need to get you on the date in the first place. Hopefully if I succeed in turning you into a up standing man your reputation as a pervert will disappear making the prospect a lot easier but until then I have to go on that I will fail rather than have a successes. Now! You will run to and from me and Anthony and every time your mind goes to breasts you must dunk your head in the ice water."

"Piece of cake!" Issei declared but began getting nervous at the sight of Dante's grin. "What's the catch?"

"You'll have a running mate."

"How's it going perv A?" Issei slowly turned around and to her horror and joy was Clio. His horror and joy came from what she was wearing, a very tight halter top and even tighter short shorts.

"Your cruel man!" Issei yelled at Dante as tears ran down his face but then stopped. " _Wait… he said when I think about boobs. How could he tell what I'm think about, all I need to do is keep a straight face and I can think whatever I want!_ "

"Oh and my friend Koneko here will be able to tell the moment you think about something you shouldn't be thinking about.' Issei looked down and saw a white haired middle schooler.

"You're going to get drenched pervert." The girl turned back to Dante. "You hold up your end of the bargain?"

"Yes, one triple layered red velvet cake with butter milk frosting in the shape of a shark complete with cookie teeth and a small school of chocolate Minnows is waiting back at the club house." There was a very small glimmer in the middle schooler's eye and a faint smile. Issei just stared at the duo trying to understand what was going on. "Now begin!" Dante blew his whistle and Issei and Clio started running. And by the end of the whole thing Koneko's prediction had come true. Issei had become drenched and was shivering from the ice water.

"I have to say that this was a lot of fun." Clio said with smirk as Anthony blow dried Issei. "We have to do this again."

"Well he's making progress, around the two hour mark he started to last a few minutes longer."

"He's still a pervert." Koneko said before leaving to enjoy her reward for the whole thing.

"I don't understand why your trying to change him so much." Clio said as she laid back on the track field. "So what if he's a little pervy, it's not like that's a deal breaker on a guy. As long as he keeps it in his pants for everyone but his girlfriend who cares."

"Not everyone shares that view. But I agree with you on this case. Issei might be a pervert but at least he seems to understand the correct way a woman should treated… mostly… the ideals of monogamy might fly over his head but everything else that counts is there." Dante smiled as Anthony just nodded at Issei's ravings.

* * *

Thursday.

It was the day before Uberto would come to claim Dante for Beatrice. Dante was currently in one of his classes. He had been training nonstop except for school had yesterday's fun with Issei. Today he would spend the day resting for tomorrow's fight. Thanks to Clio and Anthony, the Gremory peerage knew what they would be facing up against. Uberto himself and his Heart Breaker, and five female slaves. The slaves would be handled by Rias and Akeno, Uberto's Heart Breaker would be taken on by Yuuto and Koneko, while Uberto was all Dante's. Rias and Akeno needed to stay as far away from Uberto due to the Incubus' power to drain them of magic with one touch. Dante was told that the other Devils in the school would be keeping any humans out of the battle grounds.

Dante sighed at something that Rias had told him, He couldn't pull out Cerberus to just eat the bastard. Cerberus was too big and would drew too much attention. He really wanted to let the monster out to play but Rias said they wouldn't need him.

All Dante had to do was cut the bastard in half. That was all he had to do.

Dante woke up from his murderous thoughts with the sound of the bell. Dante got up to leave and was walking out of the class room when he saw Beatrice waiting outside for him. The two found a spot away from the rest of the school as it was very likely that it would end in shouting.

"Dante… please. Don't do this."

"Oh we are way past this. No this is happening and you're just going have to deal with it." Dante was not in the mood for this.

"Please, I just want… I don't know anymore. I just want you back."

"No… this has gone beyond the old shit. I have a chance at a life that actually makes me happy. And you know what… I had that chance before, so did you. But this time I'm not letting it go and I'm not going to let you ruin it."

"I'm not the only one to blame here! If you just stayed with me, was that so hard? To stay with the one you loved and loved you? So what if it was based on a lie? We had each other and nothing else mattered." Dante looked at Beatrice, she was right. But the key word was _was_. Things were different now, he could understand that he might have been wrong the first time and overreacted but now was very different in so many ways.

"If you would have said that before all this… things would be different but you can't change what happened. Right now… that's what's important in this fight. Right now this isn't about love but something as important, freedom. I want to be free of this whole thing, I want to be free of my family, but as much as it hurts me to say… I just want to be free of you." Dante finished his quick speech and left the despairing girl.

* * *

Later that night.

Dante sat on his bed thinking about what happened. He felt a bit guilty but he also knew that they were words that needed to be said. He looked around his room, it hadn't realized just how empty it had been until Rias started sleeping with him. He then looked behind him and noted that Rias wasn't here yet. She normally be here by now, the lights were on in the main room of the apartment and Minamoto should be at classes.

Dante stood up and walked out of his room to find Rias sitting at the small dining table they had, sipping tea. Dante walked over to the table and sat across form her.

"Something on your mind?"

"I could say the same to you." Rias said back before taking another sip.

"Just thinking about what's coming and has happened. But you seem to be a bit more focused." Dante mused out loud while Rias just smiled at this.

"I feel that you should know something before tomorrow." Rias put down her cup and looked straight on to Dante. "You first wanted to become a Devil to escape your arranged marriage to Beatrice." Dante waited for Rias to continue, he wasn't sure where she was going with this. "I first started to observe you because I noticed you were a Grim Reaper. But I only made contact when I learned about your arranged marriage."

"I thought you did that when you learned I was under a succubus's power?"

"No, I only learned that when I met Beatrice in person. But my initial reason to bring you into my peerage was because of our commonality." Dante's eyes narrowed at that last word. "Tomorrow will be the day you take the next step to free yourself from your forced fate. And I hope that someday you will help me escape my own forced fate." Dante smiled and leaned back in his chair.

"And what do you mean by that?" Dante said this but was sure that his first guess was the right one.

"I am currently to be married to a man named Riser Phenex. My family arranged it in order to preserve the pure blood devil line. We've begun to rebuild our numbers via the Evil Pieces but the Blood Lines are something that can only be built back up through the old fashion way."

"I see… and Riser is a pure blood devil and you're a pure blood devil... sooooo…" In Rias' opinion Dante's casual and relaxed mood on this subject could be called insulting but Rias knew that it wasn't. Even though Dante's situation was more of a business nature while her own dealt with linages, he was still someone that could understand what she was going through. "But you don't want anything to do with it, you're like me… a romantic at heart."

"I would say so… it doesn't help that Riser is a womanizing pig. But that doesn't matter, I will marry for love and nothing less."

"Testify sister." Dante joked, he honestly hated everything he was hearing but had made a choice. He had seen Rias all this time not feel sorry for herself or angry at her situation. He would follow in her footsteps and never again give power to their powerlessness to make their own future. "So we beat the shit out of Uberto tomorrow and one day… we beat the shit out of Riser… seems like an easy thing to do when your just talking about it."

"But we're not just talking about it. So how do we free you Mr. Alighieri."

"Get Beatrice off my back and survive my stepfather's wrath. So how do we free you Miss. Gremory?"

"Well… we could have sex." Rias watched as Dante fell to the floor from the shock of her statement. His head slowly raised above the table expecting some kind of expiation. "I assume that was your back up plan?" Rias said as she took her tea cup back. "Get some girl pregnant? Well we wouldn't have to go that far, just the loss of my virginity."

"You better be joking." Dante said still not rising above the table further than his eyes. He really didn't want to piss off the leader of the underworld by taking his sister's virginity. He had dealt with the normal brand of brothers and was not going to try that with the devil kind.

"I'm not… but it is not the only option we have." Rias said before taking a sip. "We could beat Riser in a Ratings Game. Currently it is not on the table for me but if push comes to shove I'm sure that it will be."

"We'll go with that then." Dante said pulling himself up. "If we're going to beat a high class devil, we need to at least be able to beat some Incubus scum right?"

"Oh of course, although… If I would suffer a defeat at the hands of said Incubus scum… Riser might call off the whole thing as he wouldn't want to be with such a weak devil." Rias joked.

"Well that just says more about the man that I can hate." Dante chuckled.

* * *

The next morning.

Rias' entire peerage was waiting at the front of the old school building waiting for Uberto. Sona and her Peerage were currently keeping any humans from the school grounds, using the excuse that the school had become infected with termites. It was a lousy ploy but that really didn't matter when you were Devils.

"Are you guys sure I can't bring Cerberus to this fight?" Dante said as he played with a bit of ice in his hand.

"Do you want to pay for the damages?" Sona asked the Rook. She was so far impressed with him though that comment had dropped her respect down a notch. Rias had told her about her Rook's familiar and Sona really did not want to see it in person.

"I probably could… my stepfather has yet to cut me off and I should have some fun before he does." Dante half joked. Rias and him had made a plan to deal with Dante's stepfather, and it was simply to mind control anyone he sent to disrupt Dante. The underworld would watch him and alert Rias when he tried something. Being the Rook of the sister of the leader of Hell certainly had its perks.

"Even so please don't bring Cerberus out unless things turn desperate." Rias said trying to end the discussion.

"How desperate are we talking?" Dante said smirking, he really wanted to bring out his best beasty.

"Issei level desperate." Koneko answered.

"Damn… that's low." They all turned to the Incubus standing a little ways away. "I've only seen the kid for a few days and even I know that's desperate." Behind him stood Beatrice and Uberto's Heart Breaker. Behind them stood five woman wearing nothing but rags. "Now kiddies! I asked for him wrapped with a nice shiny bow… he's not wrapped to order."

"Dante… please." Beatrice gave one last plea but was only met with a slight scowl.

"Looks like he's not coming to. That's fine. I get to beat the natural order of things into his dense skull. Dear… fetch." Uberto waved his hand and his Heart Breaker dashed forward to the Devils only to be stopped by a punch to the gut delivered by Koneko. The Heart Breaker responded quickly and grabbed the girl's shoulders and threw her into a nearby tree. She looked back and saw Yuuto standing in between her and her target.

"Hi… I don't suppose it's too much to ask you to leave peacefully?" The Knight asked quite nicely. The woman dash forward ready to kill the boy but was stopped by his sword digging into her arm. The pain didn't matter, she would live so long as her love lived.

"Why do I even think she could do even the simplest of tasks." Uberto groaned as he watched his Heart Breaker fight the two Devils. Focused back on the others, he noticed that the chick with glasses had vanished. It didn't matter, he just gave a nod to the women behind him and they filed out and began moving to help the Heart Breaker. But before they made it to the fight they were stopped by shots of lightning and Rias' power of Destruction. Uberto looked up and saw the two other devils flying above laying down their magic on his toys. "I can see you underwear." Uberto softly sang to himself as he peeked the red haired panties but frowned when he noticed that the other one was wearing some eastern priestess… thing, that covered her legs. "No matter…" Uberto sighed as his own fleshy wings sprouted out of his back. "… always got to do everything myself." Uberto said as he pulled out his switch blade from his pocket. Just as he was about to take off his fighting instincts kicked in and blocked the blade of Dante's scythe. A look of pure anger filled Uberto's face. "You dare Heart Breaker?!"

"Hell yeah I do." Dante smirked as the force of his blow pushed Uberto back a few feet. Dante slammed his scythe's pole end into the ground in a defiant act to tell the Incubus that he was not going with them and he was staying put.

"You little brat." Uberto dashed forward with his own tiny blade drawn. The defiant Heart Breaker blocking his next strike much to Uberto's surprise. Uberto parries the Devil's own strike and ducks under and takes a swipe at his legs, he just needed to get this brat to stop fighting, he had yet to be broken in yet so he lacked the normal Heart Breaker's pain tolerance. Uberto smiled as his blade made contact but his smile turned to a scowl when he felt the blade unable to make the cut. Uberto jumped back to avoid the scythe user's counter. "What the hell… how did you stop my blade?!"

"Simple, I'm a Rook of Rias Gremory's peerage. That means that my attack and defense are hyped levels. Thank to my training, it's easy to block blades weak as that one."

"A Rook you say… what nonsense are babbling about?" Uberto's words surprised Dante, he thought he was clear. "You are a Heart Breaker, the only thing your kind has is their link to us their masters. Even your pain tolerance is nothing more than a byproduct of your rightful treatment. You could not possibly be anything else other than a Heart Breaker, its impossible!" Dante and to a certain extent everyone else was dumbstruck by Uberto's denial of what was very clear.

"Are you stupid or something?" Dante asked but the next thing he knew was Uberto attacking him at speeds that Dante could barely react to.

"Of course not! I'm perfect!" Uberto raged as he continued his assault. Dante was quickly falling behind and had the rely on the added defense that being a Rook provided. Dante rapidly built up his magic around him, the frost growing on Uberto's clothes a sign it was working. As the temperature dropped like a rock Dante felt his reaction time increasing and not only that but Uberto's movements grew sluggish. Uberto only noticed the change in the air and area when his hand started to freeze to his metal switch blade. "What the hell?"

"Will you at least admit that I'm a Grim Reaper, how else could you explain the fact everything around us has frozen over." Uberto looked around saw that everything around them had indeed turned frozen and he did feel like he spent a night in a freezer. But it made no sense to him, how could a Heart Breaker do something like this?

Uberto chose to ignore the crazed Heart Breaker's ramblings. It must have been one of the Devils that did this. Uberto moved out of the frozen area and dashed to the fight with his Heart Breaker. He wasn't about to fight in an area cursed to work against him. He was still faster than the Heart breaker and made it out of the chilled circle but before he could make it to his Heart Breaker his felt something pierce his back, then again, and again. He looked back and saw three shards of ice impaling his back. He looked at the flying Devils and saw that they were still occupied with his toys.

"Ummm… over here." He heard from behind him.

"What is it Heart Breaker?! I'm trying to find who did this so I can cut them in half."

"I did it dumbass."

"Ridicules…" Uberto turned around to see the Heart Breaker spinning a ring of ice floating in his hand.

"Ready to admit I'm more than a Heart Breaker?"

"Shut up Heart Breaker, your filthy devil allies may try to trick me but you will and always will be nothing more than a Heart Breaker, it is unfeasible for you to be anything else." Uberto couldn't believe the level of resistance this Heart Breaker was putting up. It should be impossible… unless. His mind reworked the current situation and he laughed. He had been distracted by this kid's defiant attitude that he forgot the only reason why they could be in this mess. What he did next shocked everyone, he appeared in front of Beatrice and stabbed her in the neck. "This is your fault!" At that both the Heart Breaker and the slaves stopped fighting and ran to their master's side. Beatrice dropped to the ground and quickly pulled the blade out.

"What are you doing?!"

"Shut up! You are clearly a failure. Your family's wealth and influence must have blinded the coven into thinking you could be one of us! I hereby declare you Outcast!" The shock and horror on Beatrice's face was clear as day. "let us leave this trash…" Before Uberto take his first step to leave something cold wrapped around his neck and then forced him down on to the ground.

"Do you think we're done here?!" Dante yelled as he pulled on ice chain connected to Uberto's ice collar. "How do you like being chained up!" Dante knew that it wouldn't last long and in fact the second he finished speaking Uberto's own Heart Breaker shattered the frozen collar.

"I have no issue with you Devil, our pervious altercation was due to me thinking this witch could have a Heart Breaker. But it's clear that you are not one and that must mean that she is in fact a complete and utter failure as a Succubus." Dante hide his shock at how quickly Uberto changed his opinion on him. His words and tone were border line respectful as oppose to the crude and arrogant Uberto from a moment ago. "Our business is done and I shall leave you to your life and I apologize for my earlier behavior." That Dante could tell was a lie, Uberto didn't feel the least bit sorry. "And my apologizes to you as well Miss Gremory, give my regards to your brother, as well as your betrothed." Uberto taunted the Devils to make a move with that last comment. But Rias just glared at the Incubus. "I bid you all farewell." Uberto said before disappearing in a gust of wind.

Dante looked over to Beatrice who was trying to hide the ugly wound with her hair. He thought about what might happen now.

"It would seem you were right president, we merely needed to push back and the Incubus chose to cut ties with Beatrice." Akeno said as she approached Rias. "But what should we do now?" Rias had an idea… she didn't like it and in fact she hated it. But she felt it was the right thing to do after all this. Akeno watched as her King walked over to the Succubus with Dante quickly following, by the look on his face it seemed that he knew what Rias was planning on and felt conflicted on it.

"Happy now…" Beatrice whimpered as she turned to the two Devils that caused her current misery. "… I'm outcast now, I'll be hunted down for sport and pride."

Dante kept his stone cold face of firmness and determination as he raised his hand.

"If you're willing… then I think we can call a truce."

"Dante… does this mean…"

"No. We are over. That's not changing. However… we both need to move past that part of our lives and I don't think I can do that alone. I will always care about you Beatrice, if not for the simple fact that I once loved you. But we both need to move forward, if you want to… then I would be willing to help." Beatrice honestly didn't know what to say. All she wanted for so long was Dante back in her life. But if she couldn't have his love, she felt his companionship would be enough.

"Sure." Beatrice said as she shook his hand. Companionship would be enough… for now.

"And if you want…"Rias started. "… I think I can help." Rias held out her last Bishop piece. "You could join Dante in my Peerage."

"You would honestly invite me to join you after all that I have done?"

"Yes, I may not like it but I want to help Dante and…" Rias was interrupted by Beatrice's laughter.

"Why would I ever want to join a cow like you." Beatrice laughed causing both Rias and Dante to lose their composure and scowl at the Succubus. "Dante, you I shall accept but her… ha… her I could never forgive." Beatrice continued to laugh as she walked away.

"Well at least she's not going to stalk me anymore." Dante groaned.

"I'm almost happy she turned my offer down." Rias sighed.

* * *

Author's Notes.

Don't have much to say but I love writing this story and hope you guys like it too. Looking for a Bata to go over this chapter and future chapters

Reviews

FluffySheepLion- That was a great idea man. I loved it so much I had to do it. I changed the body a bit because well it was a bit to gross and creepy. But seriously thanks.

Shincore- Nope, Dante/Rias only… but I will be doing something similar that the canon did with Koneko just not in a romantic way like in the canon… it's a bit too creepy for my tastes anyways. But the way I will be doing it will be based on admiration and sibling love. But yeah the only girl Dante is getting will be Rias and no one else.

BANKAIZEN- thank you.

Ichigo sasashi- thank you (sniff) thank you so much for your kind words. Its people like you that get me through the days (over dramatic for funnies) But seriously thank you very much.

BrotherCaptainShepard- Hail Battle Brother! Aspirant Dante does have faith in the God Emperor, for the God Emperor rules over even death itself. But the boy will get over it… at some point.

Devilboy101- Thank you, I try.


	4. Chapter 4

You guys thought I would head right into the start of the canon? Nope, this story starts a year before the canon and we have to get through that first.

Disclaimer, I do not own any songs by Michael Bublé.

You guys will see… Dante is going to have some fun with the fact he and Beatrice finally broke up in an official way.

 **/Lyrics/**

* * *

One week later.

Rias watched as Dante oversaw several workers as they put together a stage in the middle of the school's sports field. He had all the permits and bribes necessary to do all this, he still hadn't yet been cut off and was wanting to use his family's money for something big before it was taken away.

"Do you have any idea what he's doing?" Akeno asked as she watched the crowd of students gather behind the construction tape line Dante's workers set up.

"No clue… he seemed very excited the past few days." Rias answered her Queen.

"Well its somewhat deserved." Sona added on. "He did beat back Uberto and made peace with Beatrice."

"Speaking of… where is the Succubus?" Rias asked as she looked around and failed to see Beatrice. She had been around Dante as much as she could for the last week because tonight was the night their contract went into effect. Dante made Beatrice to sign a full eighteen-page contract on just how they would act in their post couple relationship. It amounted to them acting civil and promising to help each other if they could if the other was in trouble and the other could help. The two devil Kings and their Queens stopped looking when the crowd of students were let past the tape and stampeded to stage and Dante tapped on the mic on the stage.

"Hello everyone, I am Dante Alighieri and I now for the first time in a long time I am single." There were cheers from the girls in the crowd but a groan from the guys. "And so I thought I should celebrate this fact because the girl I was with was literally sucking out my soul. So I'm putting on a show to celebrate my freedom, please enjoy and feel free to also enjoy the free food I'm providing." Dante motioned to a line of tables filled with various food from around the world.

"This looks to be a bit exercise… but we all know it's not." Sona said as she pushed up her glasses. In truth this all was making her a bit jealous, she was still working through getting her own arranged relationship done and over with.

"He's happy, as he should be." The Devils turned around to see Beatrice sitting on one of the leftover piles of lumber. "It doesn't matter how he expresses it."

"This first song is dedicated to my ex, I really hope she enjoys it." Dante smiled as he waved to Beatrice. She could feel the angry stares from the female population of the school but she didn't care. Dante grabbed the mic stand as he gave a thumbs up to Clio and Anthony who were manning the sound system. Rias half expected some horrible wailing from some heavy metal band that Dante favored but was surprised to hear It's a Beautiful Day by Michael Bublé and had to contain the laugh that wanted to burst out at the thought of what was about to happen. " **I don't know why, you think you could hold me, when you couldn't get by by yourself. And I don't know who, would ever want to tear the seam of someone's dream.** " Dante began walking around the stage as sevreal hired dancers came on to the stage. Rias knew was doing, he was trying to somewhat recreate the music video to this song just to add to on the insult. And from the look of shock and anger on Beatrice's face it was having the desired effect. " **Baby it's fine, you said that we should just be friends, well I came up with that line and I'm sure that it's for the best. If you ever change your mind, don't hold your breath. 'Cause you may not believe, that baby I'm relieved. When you said goodbye, my whole world shines…** " At that the stage started to light up and a huge sun floated down from the ceiling. It was at that point a small laugh made its way out of Rias at the sight of her second Rook having so much fun at Beatrice's expense. " **… It's a beautiful day, and I can't stop myself from smiling. If we're drinking, than I'm buying, and I know there's no denying. It's a beautiful day, the sun is up, the music's playing. And even if it started raining, you won't hear this boy complaining. Cause I'm glad that you're the one that got away…** " Dante motioned at Beatrice at the end of that line causing most of the girls in the audience too snicker and giggle at the embarrassed Beatrice. " **… cause it's a beautiful day.** " Dante walked back to the middle of the stage in prep for the next verse. " **It's my turn to fly…** " A straight line down the middle of the stage sloped down the ground with Dante sliding down it. " **So girls get in line 'cause I'm easy no playing this guy like a fool.** " Dante sang mic still in his hand as he walked through the crowd of adoring fans. " **Now I'm alright, might've had me caged before, but not tonight. 'Cause you may not believe, that baby I'm relieved. This fire inside, it burns too bright.** " The devils thought it a bit ironic that in fact Dante's soul was more cold than hot. " **I don't wat to say so long, I just want to say goodbye. It's a beautiful day, and I can't stop myself from smiling.** " Rias frowned for some reason she didn't understand as she watched Dante dance his way to the edge of the crowd with various girls. **"If we're drinking, than I'm buying, and I know there's no denying.** **It's a beautiful day, the sun is up, the music's playing.** " Dante snag as he made his way to the end of the crowd, and continued his way to Beatrice only stopping once for one quick dance move with Rias. " **And even if it started raining, you won't hear this boy complaining. Cause I'm glad that you're the one that got away**." Dante finally made his way to where Beatrice was sitting, her face darkened by her bangs as she struggled to not punch her love for his idiocy. " **Cause if you ever think I'll take up, my time with thinking of our break-up. Then you've got another thing coming your way…** " It was at that moment that Beatrice had enough and tired to sucker punch Dante but he simply just spun around her, he was far to happy to let her mess it up. " **… 'cause it's a beautiful day.** " Dante continued to hum along with the rest of the song as he made his way back to the stage just in time to finish it. " **Oh, baby, any day that you're gone away… It's a beautiful day.** " Dante sang as he finished the song. "Thank you!" Dante said back to the clapping audience before ducking down to talk to Clio and Anthony. "So what do you think, ready for the next song?"

Rias watched as Dante continued the show, though with less drama than the first. She then turned back to Beatrice as the girl dusted herself off.

"He really got to you this time." Rias said to the embarrassed Succubus.

"Yeah I know… it would seems that dear sweet Dante has a vindictive side. At least he didn't use his own voice."

"That's not his voice?" Rias was actually surprised, it sounded like Dante's voice would be in song.

"Oh yes… you see Dante is perfect but for one thing… he can't sing. But he knows this and so he has Clio and Anthony do a bunch of stuff to his voice when he sings. That why he never does this unless he has them."

"So what does Mr. Perfect sound like." Sona said as she watched Dante start a more guy friendly song, Collapse by Rise Against.

"I'm not going to try to describe my love's flaws to Devils like you." Beatrice scoffed before walking away, she had enough Devils for the day and had decided to skip the rest of school.

* * *

Two months later

Dante was sitting in class half listening to the teacher drone on about keeping up with their school work even during their summer break.

The last two months since Rias' peerage had beaten back Uberto had been very quiet… other than his little concert. Things with Beatrice had come to a nice understanding in the form of their contract. She would hang around Dante but she had to be far less of an announce and Dante had to stop making his bitter comments though he still teased her when it was to good to pass up and he could get away with it. The punishment for breaking the rules of their contract was very simple and wanted to avoided by both parties, for Beatrice if she broke her word then for a period of time she had to stay a hundred feet away from Dante at all times. If Dante broke a rule, he had to cook for Beatrice and have said meal with her.

Rias was still wary of the Succubus and had voiced her concerns, mostly when Dante kicked her out of the apartment citing that now that Beatrice had stopped using her magic to affect him Rias didn't have a real reason to sleep with him anymore. Dante did notice that after that the amount of strange and disturbing contact request he got sharply increased. Not only that but he had suspicions that Rias had not in fact stopped but simply got into bed with him and woke up before him.

Rias' habits aside, Dante's role in the peerage seemed to have solidified over the last two months as he grew closer to the other members. Yuuto and him developed a friendly rivalry as in training, both wanted to prove that they were the best blade user. Akeno and Dante kept a civil relationship, it mostly concerned her making comments on how close he and the president were and him doing the same to her with her growing relationship with his best friend, something that both of them denied constantly. Dante knew better, he once told Minamoto that Akeno thought he looked better out of his gothic make up and since then any time she would come over to the apartment for some kind of club business Minamoto would conveniently be without it.

The last peerage member Koneko was certainly the one who grew the most attached to Dante. Every time he would nod off after a hard contract he would wake to find her sleeping next to him. She also really enjoyed his baked goods and he was more than happy to make them… as long as she paid for the cost to make them. That was because Dante could no longer afforded to buy all the ingredients anymore.

Two days after his concert, Dante had made the call to his stepfather and told him exactly what he thought of his scheme. And the reaction was predictable, he stepped over blackmail and went right to the cutting him off. He had yet to disown him but Dante knew that it was coming. His mother had called and asked him to reconsider but when he told her that wasn't going to happen she said that she was proud of him for following his heart but at the same time wished he would stop being so stupid in this whole mess. Dante also got a call from his sister who was surprising supportive in this and even offering to act as a spy for him, he told her that would be a bad idea despite the fact she could be very good at it. Even though she was a pain in his ass she was still his little sister and he didn't want her to get of their stepfather's bad side. Unlike him she couldn't survive it. Dante also got a call from Beatrice's brother, he told him that her parents were not too happy about the development and were certainly going to do something. He didn't know what but he could tell it was bad.

Dante sighed as the teacher began going through their assignments for the summer. The summer, he didn't have any real plans other than contract work, continue training, drilling manners into Issei, and looking for new locks for his apartment. He still held out a little concern that something might happen but tried to remain optimistic.

* * *

"Is that him brother?" A skinny malnourished looking man with greasy unkempt black hair said as he peered through binoculars. He was wearing filthy blue jeans and an oversized black hoodie with the hood pulled far over the top of his face. He wore no shoes and it was clear that his teeth were on the verge of falling out.

"I think it is brother." Another man, this one dressed in standard officer's uniform. White leather boots it came with was the only contrast to the various shades of red that composed the uniform.

"That is our brother's apostle." The last man standing on the roof overlooking the high school said as he checked the time. This one was dressed to the nines in the finest suit anyone would ever see, with only the pure white with specks of black.

"Are you sure Conquest?" The dirty man asked the cleanest one.

"I believe so Famine." Conquest answered his brother.

'Bitchin!" Famine squealed with excitement. "What do you think War?"

"An odd place to find the Apostle of Death." War said as he began his way to the stairs.

"I guess… but fun to say the least." The Horsemen smiled a toothy grin as he followed his brothers.

* * *

Dante was laying back against one of the trees that hugged the track field. On his left was Koneko currently napping, the two had shared lunch and were relaxing the rest of the day off. It was a few hours until the Occult Research Club would be meeting.

"Well don't you two look all cozy." Dante looked up to see Clio hanging down from one of the branches. "Dante… for shame. She far too young for that sort of behavior." Clio joked.

"I'm not even going to dignify that with a response." Dante said as he continued eating his lunch.

"But you just did." Clio once again saying it in a cutesy voice to irritate Dante.

"What do you want, these are school ground and you're your too cool for school so you need to leave before you might pick up an education by accident."

"I gots me all the learnin' I's ever needed." Clio said in a dumbed down voice. "But seriously I came to thank you. Ever since me and Anthony came here that feeling of being hunted as gone away. I feel free again." Dante nodded like he knew what Clio was talking about… because he did. Rias told him that something was in fact hunting the girl but should couldn't find out what. But she did know that it wasn't going anywhere near the town line, it definitely knew that this town was under the protection of the Gremory house.

"Whatever I can do to help."

"I feel like I should do something to say thanks, I know I helped you get that bitch off your back two months ago but I feel like that not enough."

"Clio. You and Anthony are some of my oldest friends, I'm happy to help you free of charge."

"Aw… your sweet." Clio swung over and give Dante a quick kiss on the cheek before jumping off and walking back to her and Anthony's home.

"The president won't like that." Koneko joked. She had woken up the moment Clio spoke but chose to stay out of it.

"Why would she care?"

"You can be really smart and really stupid at the same time."

* * *

Later that night.

Rias was sleeping by Dante's like she always did now. She thought it was so cute the way Dante would get embarrassed and flustered when he tried to kick her out but she had made the Rook her hugging pillow and had no intention of finding a new one. She had yet to be caught but she knew that Dante had an idea of what she was doing.

As she dared to move a bit closer to her sleeping partner her thoughts circled around the teen Grim Reaper. He certainly was a wonderful addition to her peerage which she considered to be nothing less than family. While she still loved her own blood family, that relationship had become strained due to their meddling in her life. She was happy to help Dante escape his own problems with his own very slimier situation and was overjoyed at his understanding and support with her own. But something had nagged at her mind about Dante.

But before her mind turned to this saddening topic she felt herself falling asleep. But she could tell before everything turned black that this wasn't natural.

The next thing Rias knew she was in a ballroom wearing a flowing red gown and was dancing the waltz with some man she didn't recognize. The music playing also wasn't normal waltz music either but it strangely fit.

"It's King of Anything by Sara Bareilles." Her dancing partner said, his voice was slightly low but not deep, the word experienced was the one Rias would put it to. His skin was jet black and his face was covered in shifting white geometric lines and shapes. His eye sockets were empty but for some reason it wasn't scary or gross to Rias. And while Rias was dressed for their location and dance, he wasn't at all. He wore jeans, nothing on his top but a jacket with fur along the cuffs and collar with its hood over the top of the man's face. "It's nice to meet you Miss Gremory, I remember your great great grandfather, my my wasn't he a little piss ant. But funny, only man ever to make my red brother to crack a smile."

"And might I ask who you are?" Rias asked, she couldn't stop her body from continuing the dance.

"I can't answer that… I'm sorry."

"Can I ask why are we dancing? It seems odd for a meeting."

"Happier memories of bygone days, but that is quite private. We are here because your boyfriend, my Apostle, is in grave danger." The man smiled warmly at Rias shocked face.

"Are you talking about Dante? Because he is not…" A finger on her lips stopped her from speaking.

"Three words, advance temporal knowledge. But that's not important right now. What is, is that a powerful force has arrived in your territory and will be coming for him. They seek to break him before he can become strong. They will come for those that are close to him." The man had seen this happen many times before, his Apostles hunted down for the threat they possibly posed. He didn't want it to happen to this one, he was so different in that this one actually enjoyed life.

"Who? I won't allow anyone to hurt my peerage, I don't care who they are." Rias said firmly, this was an absolute to her, she would never let anyone hurt them.

"The Horsemen." Those two words caused Rias to turn deathly quiet. Never in her wildest nightmares had she ever thought that the Horsemen would come for her family.

"I need to contact my brother! Please release me so I can…"

"Won't help… they are already here and have picked their targets. You won't be able to contact your family… if you want proof simply look to your right hand." Rias looked down to her hand and saw it had a brand in the shape of a bow. "You have good luck; Conquest has chosen you." Rias couldn't answer from the shock and horror, her eyes never leaving her hand. "They will come tomorrow; I suggest you feign ignorance of it though when you come, the brand is easily overlooked as a rash or not even seen."

"Who else… who are the other three." That got the first dark glance from the man.

"Other two… there are three Horsemen coming for you." Rias looked at the man with a bit of confusion before she came to the truth of who the man was. She quietly nodded in understanding. "Good, your Queen is in the most danger as she holds the brand of Famine. While War and Conquest will hold their target captive… Famine will go further. The succubus is branded by War… I for what reason I don't know, she no longer holds as much sway over my Apostle's heart." The second the man backed away Rias felt her body return to her control.

"But how… the Horsemen are… they are invincible; they are the Apocalypse incarnate."

"You simply need to save their targets; the Horsemen are patient… well two of them are. All they seek is to test my Apostle it to see if he is who they think he is. They must leave this town thinking he is nothing but a normal Grim Reaper. If they find out that he is in fact my Apostle, they will kill him and all that he knows."

"How do we convince them?"

"All of my previous Apostles were cold and in the end cared little for those that appeared to their friends. The Horsemen saw this as a sign and now look for that in their hunt. Simply by saving you they will be convinced that he is not my Apostle."

"It sounds like he just needs to save one and they will be convinced, why save me and not Akeno, you said she was in the most danger."

"She is but you bare the branding of Conquest, it is he that must be convinced the most. War will follow Conquest decision but Famine might… have his fun with the Queen. You know who send though." The man smiled and Rias understood what he meant by that and the two shared a smile. "Good, I wish you all luck." At that moment Rias found herself in the ORC room completely clothed.

"I see… Lord Death I hope that this works." Rias first sent a message to Minamoto warning explaining the situation, he would still be at his class so he wouldn't be able to tell Dante. After she sent her familiar to deliver the message she started on the one for Dante. She quickly wrote down a message that included a spell tracker that Dante could use to find her once Conquest came for her.

"The duties of an heiress are never done I see. Even late in the night you work tirelessly to ensure your father and brother's empire continues to grind away." Rias looked up to see a very well dressed man sitting on one of the couches. Rias covertly changed what was on the paper to a letter to her mother.

"Who are you and what are you doing here?" Rias needed to convey that she had no prior knowledge of the what was about to happen. The goal here was to convince them that Dante wasn't what they were looking for.

"I am an interested party; I seek someone that I believe to be a member of your peerage." Conquest looked at the girl, she was most certainly a Gremory, the red hair gave that away in a moment, she was the spitting image of that detestable woman that corrupted his brother so long ago.

"Are you from the church? Come to finish off what you started?" She didn't like using Yuuto's past as a cover but it was needed.

"I am not here for your Knight. I am here for your Grim Rook. I want to know if he shall come for his so called friends." The man pulled four black feathers from his coat. "I will make it look like a fallen angel has taken you. The number of wings show the power of fallen Angels. Four will be enough, if he comes then I will have my proof. All the others had been cowardly and abandoned their allies the first sign of a superior opponent." The man walked over to Rias' desk. "Now come with me girl." The man started exuding some kind of pressure causing Rias to buckle under it, falling to the floor out cold. "Such a disappointment, and to think this is the heiress to one of the seventy two pillars." Conquest said as he picked Rias up.

* * *

"Let me go!" Beatrice yelled at the officer dressed man.

"I will not." War answered flat, he had tied the succubus up to the wall with simple rope and his own power suppressed her heightened strength. He made sure to leave behind the feathers and was putting out magical power that resembled Fallen Angels but wasn't sure if their target would.

"You better, or my love will cut you in half."

"He will not."

"He will!"

"He will not."

"Oh fuck you, you pig! Your probably are going to force yourself on me and…"

"Human sexual acts disgust me." War said flatly effectively shutting the wretch up.

* * *

Akeno glared at her captor, he looked like a diseased bum but he had somehow caught her. It was clear that he wasn't normal but she couldn't tell what he was. And he was clearly very creative, currently she was upside down and tied over turned round table.

"You seem almost comfortable tied up like that, I would think a lady of your standing would be a bit more prudish." The man joked as he rocked back and forth in his chair. "But there you are, your panties flashing and your top hanging down and not even a blush? What a naughty girl you must be."

"Why thank you." The man laughed at this come back with clear joy and surprise.

"I almost want him to not come… we could have a very interesting time together. But then again… if he does show… things will get very very interesting indeed." Famine could have been absolutely bored out of his decomposing mind but now he could play with the girl… she certainly looked and acted like she could take it. "Hey half breed?" That got him a dark stare. "Ohhhhh you don't like it when I say that do you? Huh Half breed? Half breed. Half breed. Half Breed!" Half… oph…" Famine couldn't finish his insult before a fire ball shot through and lunched him into the nearby wall. Akeno looked over to see a man made completely of fire with three glowing black eyes.

" _Huh… irony_." Minamoto thought as he walked into the abandoned building, he was certainly crossing that name off his list of things he could say. "You need a …" Minamoto stopped taking and turned away when he noticed that Akeno was tied up in a very revealing way.

"Aw, the big scary goth Jinn is embarrassed." Akeno teased.

"I am not!" Minamoto said still not turning to face the half-naked Queen. He quickly cut the ropes letting the Queen loose. "Are you feeling alright." Minamoto asked as he focused on their enemy.

"Fucking shit!" Famine yelled before Akeno could answer. "That's not a Grim Reaper! What the fuck is a Jinn doing here? You what I don't care!" Famine raised his hands and swarms of locusts came pouring out his sleeves. Minamoto acted quickly and created a shield of fire between them and the swarm.

"I'm fine but my magic is being suppressed by him. Do you know who he is?"

"No idea, Rias just sent me a message telling me to look out for a strange magic and that it would likely be holding you captive. I'm in the dark as much as you are… wait… you hear that?" Minamoto lowered the shield and saw that the bugs had disappeared. "I think he left."

"He was talking about someone coming to save or more likely abandoned me."

"Well he seemed surprised to see me so I don't think he was talking about me." Minamoto said as he began walking to the door out of the room. But when he pulled on the door handle it broke off. He tried forcing the door open but found it was stuck. He then tried blowing a hole in the wall only to find that behind the wall were more bugs who quickly reformed the wall out of a bug hive. "It would seem he has trapped us here."

"I can't use my magic still so teleporting is out of the question."

"And I'm not strong enough or stupid enough to open a door way in to the Jinn kingdom. So I think the only thing we have to do is wait." Minamoto said before sitting down on the floor.

"You seem awfully calm, are you sure that he's not just trying to starve us out." Akeno said as she sat across him.

"No… he's trying to keep us captive. That means he needs us alive." There was an awkward silenced that followed that. Neither side really sure if they should speak. Minamoto's mind had been poisoned by Rias' plotting to try and push them together in retaliation for his own jokes about her and Dante. While Akeno was just scared as she was sure he had heard her captor and was unaware that Minamoto already knew.

* * *

The next morning.

Dante was feeling off. Minamoto wasn't home and he hadn't seen Rias, Akeno, or Beatrice all morning. One or two of those girls were a part of his morning, that was a given. At the moment he was walking to his third to last day of school before he would be on summer break.

He was watching the clouds breeze on by, He for a moment wondered what it would be like to be a cloud. To just drift on with no real care the world.

"Ah… lazy thoughts… haven't had those in a long time." Dante continued walking until from around the corner Koneko ran into him.

"Dante!" Koneko actually yelled… or as much as she could.

"What? Did something happen?" Dante was fully alert; he had never seen Koneko this worried.

"It's Rias, I think she's been kidnapped." Koneko pulled out the four black feathers she found on Rias desk. She had gone to the club house early because she wanted to sneak some cookies that Rias kept from her in her desk but when she got there all she found were the feathers.

"I'm assuming that these are Fallen Angels'?" Dante said as he took one of the feathers to examine it. It was surprisingly soft to his touch but something about it felt off, its ends felt brittle.

"Yup. And there's four of them so it must mean that someone actually important came for her."

"Well of course, some grunt could never take Rias on. Do we have any idea where they might be?"

"I've been feeling something strange in town all morning, but if I was some asshat Fallen Angel I would hide out in the old church." Koneko pointed out the only church in the small town.

"Then we'll check out the old church first." Dante said as he started walking towards it but stopped when he felt Koneko tug on his sleeve. He looked down at his fellow Rook as she stared down at the ground with a feint look of worry on her face.

"Dante… if we're right and this is a four winged Fallen… then… are we strong enough to take them on?" Dante kneeled down to the middle schooler.

"That doesn't matter to me, Rias saved my life and I will do anything to protect hers. I'm sure that you have your own reasons for following her and if I know her like I think I do, thosr reasons are just as good as mine. So lets go save Rias for the time she did the same for us." A look of iron hard determination returned to the younger Rook's face. "Good… let's hurry."

"Your forgetting Yuuto." Koneko said casuing Dante to slightly trip.

"Oh yeah… I'm sure that he'll pick up on what's going on in his own way."

* * *

Yuuto sneezed as his homeroom started. Completely unaware of what was going on with the

" _Am I getting a cold?_ "

* * *

"Please can you let me go?" Beatrice said trying to go with a cute approach.

"No." The stoic and stone faced captor replied.

"Would you just let me go already you fucking asshole!"

"No."

"War! War! I'm back…" A new voice said as a homeless looking man came shambling in.

"Did the target come to recuse the half breed?"

"No… some Jinn did, I've got them trapped though." Famine said as he kicked his feet up on a nearby table after sitting down. "I've got my little friends watching them." A grab fell out of the man's mouth as he said this giving Beatrice the creeps.

"Out of all the prospects we thought this one would be the one he would come for but it would seem we were wrong. My last scan put him headed for the Gremory girl."

"So he is going to save her… and Conquest thought this might be the one."

"He still might be."

"Hm… what are you taking about? All of the confirmed Apostles ran the moment things turned ugly." Famine looked over to Beatrice absentmindedly but when he saw her he focused on her in a moment.

"This test we have is not perfect. It relies too much on a certain personality type that we could never confirm to be a certainty in the Apostles. All we know is that all before ran."

"Whatever, Conquest believes that there's a connection…" Famine said as he looked the succubus over, closely. "… such flawless skin… wonder what you'd look like as a mummy."

"Famine, don't… if we're wrong we don't want to cause any damage. It would bring far too much attention to us." War warned his brother. Famine reluctantly backed off the Succubus.

* * *

Minamoto once again examined the bee hive like wall that formed when he tried to make their own way out. It was resistant to both his fire and Akeno's lightning. With a sigh of defeat, he returned to the chair he had spent most of his time in. He looked over to the other prisoner as she calmly waited. The two had only exchanged a few words and they were only about the strength of their prison.

After a while he had been able to get control of his emotions, the anger and thrill of a fight and the shock of seeing the Queen in that compromising position. The Jinn descendant knew that it was unlikely that whoever that man was is going to let them starve, it would be counterproductive, however… the man didn't look to be in his right mind. He knew that it wouldn't be long until their friend figured out that they were missing. The only problem was how long would it take for them to find them. He only found her because of that man's energy was so pungent that he could sense him from miles away.

" _How long… come on Dante I have a busy life and I hate it when it gets disrupted._ " Minamoto thought before hang his head in coming to the truth that he would likely be losing a shift or two. He looked back to Queen, he could feel she was also uncomfortable with the situation but not with the imprisonment. "If you're worried about if I heard what that man was calling you, don't be… I honestly couldn't care in the slightest." Minamoto finally said having gotten a bit sick of her mopping, in the short time he has known her he much rather preferred it when she was casual and he was even missing the flirty side of her. The reaction he got was that of shock and confusion. "Personally I detest the Fallen Angels… it's something that's ingrained in all those that carry Jinn blood. It's because of the Fallen Angels that the Jinn are scattered and live in tribes. It was the Fallen Angels that destroyed the unity the Jinn had, they betrayed them and caused us to distrust each other. So hating them is as natural as fire to a Jinn." Minamoto watched as the girl looked down, she was expecting him to hate her just like all the others, and not just all the other Jinn. Minamoto knew that the Fallen Angels don't take to kindly to children like her and it is unlikely that her human family was much better. "However…" The Queen looked back up with that single word. "… I am not a Jinn… I'm like you, a half breed… or quarter breed if you're feeling specific. And I have seen what the worst both sides have to o…" The next thing that happened was not expected, she got angry.

"How can you possibly know what I went through! You had a family that loved and supported you while I…" Akeno got even angrier when he started laughing. "You think this is funny?!"

"Do you have any idea how many death threats and hate mail I get on a _Daily_ basis, on a good day it's over a hundred. It's so much that I've sent back letters asking them to do it by Email, my Jinn relatives have turned me into an environmentalist. And the only reason the assassination attempts stopped was because I live under a territory that Gremorys control. Back when I lived in Osaka it was a dull week if just one hired hit man came after me." Minamoto stopped his laugh and turned a bit more serious. "We both have lived hard lives if a bit different, I don't care if your mother or father was some Fallen Angel, if nothing more than to spite my relatives out west. But that's not the only reason. In the short time we've known each other… I know you are more than your what your parents were." Akeno was speechless, here was someone like her and yet he wasn't weighed down by his lineage. He didn't care and more importantly he didn't care about hers.

* * *

"All right, I'm defiantly getting a strange feeling coming from inside the church." Dante said as the two Rooks approached the doors of the ruined church.

"It feels kinda like Fallen Angels but… it feels a lot stronger though." Koneko said as she put on her fighting gloves. "You're going to do it again aren't you?" Koneko prepared herself by closing her eyes and plugging her ears.

"Oh please…" Dante groaned as he flicked his wrist and the bone scythe shot out of the palm of his hand, cracking the stone floor of the entrance of the church with its pole end. "… You can open your eyes now." Dante said as he poked Koneko's head. Dante then kicked the door off its hinges. "Damn… didn't mean to do that."

"You're lucky that this place is so run down that no one will really care." Koneko blankly said as she walked through. They both were relieved to see Rias perfectly fine, she even looked more irritated than scared… that was to expected though.

"So you came." The only other person in the church said as he stood up from the front pew. He turned around and Dante instantly had chills run down his spine from the moment he looked at him. "Dante Alighieri, Grim Reaper… you came."

"And just who the hell are you?" Dante said trying to hide the growing fear in him. Something about this man made him want to turn around and run far away and even then it wouldn't be far enough.

"If you're thinking I'm some Fallen Angel then you're wrong. I am Conquest, the Forth Fear of man and the First one to Ride. I am the leader of the Housemen of the Apocalypse." Conquest watched this one with eager eyes… this one was so different. He was certain that he was his brother's next Apostle but he came when all the other fled. Conquest first thought was that this one was simply not what he thought him to be but… even now as he looked the boy over he was sure. The boy's soul felt right, ice cold and hardly there yet when you could feel it, it was strong. There were others that Conquest needed to test them as well. "Subjugation!" A snow white skinned man appeared next to Conquest.

"My lord?" The new man said as he bowed to Conquest. His snow white hair hitting the floor as he did. Dante paid attention to this new threat, he appeared out of nowhere, all he wore was a black robe covering his stomach and legs and a strapped spear on his back.

"This Grim Reaper has intrigued me, and I wish you to test him."

"Hey!" Dante yelled drawing the focus of Conquest but not the new man. "Just what the hell is going on here?! Why did you kidnap Rias? Just why the hell is a Horseman of the Apocalypse here when it is clearly not the Apocalypse? And who's that guy?" Dante finished off by pointing at the white skinned man.

"What a chatty one you are." Conquest started making Dante a bit more angry. "The reason for the girl and the rest of your friends…" Dante anger dropped for a moment when he heard that. "… was to see how would react. As a Grim Reaper you hold a deep connection to the first God of Death, that same being holds the position of the Horseman of Death. My eldest brother, He is the First Fear of man and is the Last to Ride. But long ago he betrayed his brothers and forced us to banish him. This is where his Apostles come in, there must always be a Horsemen of Death it is simply a rule of the world. So one of his chosen must rise to that position, his Apostles are those chosen."

"So… what happens if I'm the Apostle?"

"We it is simple my boy… we would kill you. You see the problem is that the last Horsemen has not died… and so you would not become the Horsemen, you would simply gain its power. You would be outside the laws that govern us and would be free to do what the last could not."

"And what was that?"

"Prevent the End of the world. Death foolishly thought that he could circumvent the Apocalypse and all because of that woman." Conquest muttered those last words, but the scowl on his face was still visible. "I have said enough on the matter." Conquest snapped and a fiery door opened next to him. "Subjugation, I will be picking my brothers up and returning to headquarters. Be sure to ready a full report of our activities in this town when you return." Conquest said as he begun walking through the door.

"Certainly my Lord." Subjugation calmly said as the doors closed behind his master. Pulling his spear from his back he then pointed the blade at Rias. A barbed metal ring formed around her forehead, a few inches of space separating her skin from the metal. A small nail formed from the metal and with a click sound began slowly moving toward her forehead. "I am the White Horse Subjugation; my master has tasked me with testing you. I find that people never show their true colors unless something is at stake for them. The spike in that ring with pierce the girls skin in forty-five seconds, her skull in one minute, her brain in two. Once that happens she will become a thrall to my lord. If you want to prevent this from happening I suggest my death… or at the very least try to cause my death." Subjugation said with an air of complete detachment. The White Horse continued this by not even flinching or making an reacting other than his solid block to Dante's fury driven attack. Subjugation held back the scythe's blade over his head with his own spear in one hand and grabbing Dante's wrist stopping the ice encased dagger like fist from piercing his gut. "Imprecise first move, normally a spear wielder like myself requires two hands so you took advantage but coming at me from two sides. My back with your scythe blade and my front with this ice. Truly even in your emotion addled state you have very good battle instincts." Subjugation parried the scythe in one fluid movement, knocking Dante down to the ground.

Dante quickly froze the ground under him and a small path backward allowing him to slip back and away from the faster opponent. Quickly kicking back on to his feet he pulled some of the ice with he to launch at Subjugation. The White Horse swatted the frozen projectiles away and began walking forward, spinning his spear as he strode forth. Dante didn't have time to do anything but to kill him. Thankfully the attire of his opponent would allow for him to end things quickly. Subjugation's face remained unchanged as Dante formed the Crown of the End in his hand.

"I see… how unfortunate. That this match would be won by cheating." Subjugation said, his voice still void of enthusiasm even as Dante's Sacred Gear cut down his torso. The White Horse fell to the ground his body started falling apart like gravel as it did so. Dante looked at Rias and saw that the ring had melted away. He ran to catch her as she fell to the ground.

"How so very disappointing." Dante looked back up after catching Rias. Standing on top of the dirt that once was Subjugation was a new one exactly like the one before.

"How?! I cut you with my Blade of Finality?"

"You cut the last Subjugation down. Where there is a Horsemen there must always be his horse. I live as an extension of Conquest's will and as such when you kill one another shall simply replace it." Subjugation snapped his fingers and another fiery door opened. "DO performed well until you started to cheat, both will go into my report on the matter. I certainly hope to see that it is not you. If it is then my master will have to sully his hands with you." The White Horse said before stepping behind the closing doors. Dante's focus quickly returned to Rias.

"Rias? Are you okay?" He quickly checked for a heartbeat and to his relief it was there.

"We should take her somewhere safe." Koneko said as she approached.

"Yeah… good idea." Dane said picking Rias up in his arms.

"Hey Dante… you're not mad at me are you?" Koneko asked, unable to look up at her fellow Rook. "Because… I couldn't help."

"Not at all… everything happened so fast. And they were some tough dudes… even I could feel it and I'm no where knew as sensitive to that stuff as you and the others are."

"But… I was so afired… I was so useless." Koneko slightly sobbed out, unable to stand the thought of disappointing both Rias and the new guy she had come respect.

"Its perfectly fine to feel scared… fear is the feeling that tells us to run the hell away from what's going to kill us. But the trick is… knowing the difference between what you think is scary and what really should be scary. The dark… not scary but some people think it is… those guys we just saw… yeah, they're the real deal. But even when it is real… it never needs to stay that." Koneko now looked back at him was slight admiration showing through. "I always thought that my future was scary and now… I couldn't be more excited for it. Come on, let's get our King some place less… godly."

* * *

War looked up from his phone.

"It would seem our mission is at an end. The boy came to the recuse of the Gremory Heiress after all." War said as he put away his phone ignoring the loud groan from his brother. "We must return to our allies and seek out the next possible candidate."

"Fine… what about her… can I bring her along for some fun."

"No… leave her be." War walked over to Beatrice and placed his hand to her eyes. With a wuick application of magic he knocked her out and undid her restrains. Her body dropped to the floor as Famine opened a fiery door with the snap of his fingers.

"Shame… I could have had so much fun with a Succubus."

"Don't forget to release your two captives." War said before walking through the door. Famine smiled as he summoned Pestilence to his side. The Black Horse was dressed in head to toe in heavy black cloth, none of it looked new and in fact it looked like it was about to fall apart. The only parting to it all was for his two green glowing eyes.

"Keep watch over my little half breeds. Don't hurt them but make sure that they stay locked up for a good long time." Famine watched as his horse dispersed into millions of bugs and flew into the cracks of the abandoned house War used.

* * *

Rias awoke to the sight of her Occult Research Club room. She felt the warmness from the blanket that laid on top of her. Across from the couch she was laying was Dante fast asleep and Koneko resting on his lap. Rias smiled, she was so happy at how close those two had become. Rias then thought back to the church. The last thing she remembered was that Subjugation man doing some kind of Magic on her and then nothing. Whatever happened it at least ended with everyone being safe and sound.

Rias sat up at the sound of the doors opening and saw Yuuto walking in by himself.

"Hello all… umm president what is going on?" Yuuto asked as he was confused at what he was seeing.

"Oh its nothing, I got kidnapped by the Horseman Conquest and Dante and Koneko saved me." Rias whispered. "And keep your voice down, we don't want to wake them." Yuuto just stared at the information just stated, The Horseman Conquest was here! In this very town and kidnapped Rias Gremory! That was big news, war declaring news. And Rias just passed over it to tell him to be quiet so he won't wake the two Rooks.

"Oh sure…" Yuuto said as he matched his King's volume. "…but umm… where is Akeno?" Rias blinked at this as she remembered Akeno and mentally cursed herself for doing so. She was sure that she got her message to Minamoto and he should have had no trouble finding her. Saving her from the Horseman Famine however… well they should be fine now that Conquest thought Dante wasn't who they were looking for. Rias tried locating her through her Evil Piece but to Rias' horror she couldn't.

"This is bad, I can't detect her anywhere." Rias mumbled to herself. Something was very wrong, the Horsemen should have released Akeno and Beatrice once they had their answer. " _But Lord Death did warn that Famine might prove a bit more trouble._ "

* * *

Over the entire summer break the peerage searched for the two. Rias tried every tracking magic she could think of and her peerage plus Clio and Anthony looked throughout the town. Even when they found Beatrice a few days into their search she didn't have any ideas, though that might have been from the fact she was mad at Dante for saving Rias instead of her. He simply used the defense that he didn't know to get out of looking like he broke their contract.

By the time school started they still had not found them. Every one of them felt heavy from their failure to find their comrades. Even though Minamoto wasn't apart of Rias' peerage he was still one of them.

"I feel like garbage right now." Dante moaned as he sulked behind Rias as they all walked to the old school building. They all felt that way. They had failed in finding their friends. "Thank you for at least saving Minamoto's job." Dante thanked his King.

"It was the least I could do for his help." Rias opened the door to the clubhouse but the moment it cracked open they all felt a pungent odor come out.

"That's toxic."

"Gross."

"Everyone be ready, nothing smells that bad without meaning to." Rias commanded as she held a magic barrier to keep the smell out. With some reluctance they all followed their King into the old school building, they found the source in the form of a man covered in black tattered cloth. "Who are you and what gives you the authority to invade the territory of the House of Gremory?!" The man didn't respond but moved his covered arm over her desk. A clawed insect like hand appeared out of the cloth and tapped on the desk.

"I think its trying to speak in Morse code?" Yuuto answered everyone's thoughts.

"What's it saying." The man tapped its reply again. Yuuto's face paled as he came to its translation.

"He says that its under the authority of Famine." They all took a slight step back before the man continued. "He's saying that Famine is done with our friends and he's going to give us their location."

"But why… why keep them hostage?" Rias demanded.

"He says that Famine simply wanted to, They were not harmed, merely kept in a single room and given bread and water and sometimes even dried meats. He says that your friends are strong and they seem to have gone through the time unharmed in their minds. Even Conquest was impressed by this." The man stopped a second before continuing. "Conquest wishes to convey his apologies and wishes you to know that Famine will be punished for this." The man walked over to Rias and handed her a tattered paper with an address before looking back at Yuuto and making a few clicking noises. "He wishes to say sorry personally for what his master did and that he did all he could to help our friends stay comfortable."

"I thank you for your empathy, and I I'm sorry that you must serve such a master." Rias said carefully before taking the paper. The man nodded and disappeared in a burst of insects. The air quickly cleared up once the last bug left.

"Do you think he's telling the truth?" Dante asked, he was unsure of the man or bug.

"I think he is… although he didn't speak himself I could feel the shame he felt for his part in this." Rias said before looking down at the paper.

* * *

Dante was smirking at his roommate. They had found the pair alright. They found them at a cloaked warehouse in the next town over, it still fell under the Gremory territory but it was far enough that they didn't think to look there.

"So… how was your summer?" Dante asked.

"Shut it."

"Answer the question or no more coffee."

"I thought we agreed that you couldn't make demands like that."

"Don't care… this is just too good."

"It was not as bad as it could have been." Minamoto said as he looked away, his makeup hiding the redness that came to his face.

"Because…?" Minamoto grumbled his answer. "What was that? I didn't quite catch that."

* * *

"I can't believe you two ended up together." Rias said sipping her tea… it was far more bitter than normal. "But I guess that tends to happen when you put two people in a room for a month or two. You either come to hate each or… go in the direction." Rias joked as she tried to get under her Queen skin. She was failing.

"I know… I was there. But he's really not such a bad guy. He really accepts me and when you get him to loosen up he really is such a sweetheart." Rias looked at her best friend wide eyed at that statement. The first part she could understand him being in a similar situation but the second part… the brooding, goth, isolationist Minamoto being a… sweetheart… it boggled Rias' mind.

"Well… I'm happy that you have found someone that has finally made you feel more at peace with who you are." Rias said trying to pull back the shock as she sipped her tea.

* * *

"Hahahahahhahahaha…" Dante continued to laugh at the embarrassed Jinn descendant. "We actually caught you two making out when we came to rescue you." Dante fell over on to the floor laughing. "What was you were saying… I'm going to the youngest Judge in all of modern Japan's history, by twenty one in two years I will pass the Bar and by twenty five be a Judge. I can't be distracted by girl… hahahaha…" Dante continued his laughing.

"I'm still going to meet my goal, I just have to do a little work on my schedule." It was at this point Dante stopped laughing and stood up in Minamoto's face.

"You don't get it… you're not in charge anymore. Your life now revolves around her… that is the only way to do this right. I know you… you would do this if you weren't one hundred percent sure and so that means you're in my house now. I am love master supreme. AND YOU WILL FOLLOW MY WORD BECAUSE AKENO IS IMPORTANT TO RIAS AND THAT MEANS SHE'S IMPORTANT TO ME." At that moment Minamoto found his way out of this.

"So I guess that mean Rias…"

"Don't try that shit! You are not getting out of this! You will be attending my proper boyfriend lessons with Issei, you don't need to come when we are working on his pervertness but otherwise you must come… Rias can get you out of work easy. Now if you will excuse me, I have a lesson plan to prepare." Dante left Minamoto to his head banging on their table.

"Why. Did. They. Have. To. Come. In. On. That. Moment." Minamoto said with a hit to the table with each word.

* * *

Author's Notes.

I know a few of you are mad that I did this one instead of my FFE story but… I have no real answer to give you other than… what's that… (runs away while readers are distracted)

Reviews

Devilboy101- thank you.

FluffySheepLion- He was a one time OC, I just don't like the canon one. Soory but next chapter is the start of the canon story, this is one year behind and i had to do something during all that time.

Ichigo sasashi- Thanks, but we won't see Uberto for a while… but he will be getting all that he deserves in the future.

I Be Random- thank you, Any cut made by the Blade of Finality can never be healed, not by time nor magic, it is permanent. Do with that information what you will ;)


	5. Chapter 5

Author's Notes

This is the new chapter five

* * *

The Nexus… the center of the Multiverse. Normally a great void unless someone enters.

"Hello? Anyone hanging out here… Vice? Old man? Isiglige? Anyone?" Zeiveist asked as he peered into the Nexus. "Oh man I'm I the only one here." He said as he stepped inside. The ground and space shifting to his home reality. "Damn… I was looking forward to hanging out. Oh well." Zeiveist fell back on to a red and black couch as he used his Sacred Gear Reality Mirror to peer back into his home reality. "Let's see how Dante and the gang is doing. I can't wait until I make my appearance." The future Bishop remarked as the mirror change view to Dante still in class and looking bored as normal, the view changed to the outside of the school. "Maybe I'll come in a bit early." Zeiveist jumped through.

* * *

Dante was dreading the end of the day… it was the very last day of the school year. And he had failed. He had failed in turning Issei into pervert free Issei. And all the girls knew this, all day they had been eyeing him.

"Like sharks to chum." Dante sighed. Issei had been a plan to keep the crowds of girls at bay but it failed in the end. It had done what he wanted but he thought that he could purge the perversion out of him. He was wrong. Issei had apologized but said that it was just the way he was and that would never give up on his dream of being Harem King. "At least the moron is honest in his goals." Dante mumbled as the last bell of the years ringed. Dante took a deep breath and walked out of the class room, he was going to have to pay for his hubris and was going to do it with his head held high.

But when he left the school building he noticed a lack of hordes of girls coming to get him to pay up on his debt.

"What the… I know today is the day… do they think Issei is a success because just the other day he and his friends were caught peeping… again." Dante mumbled to himself as he looked around. "What's going on?" Dante watched as the girls simply acted like they always did. Just giving him smiles and a few winks here and there as he walked to the edge of the school grounds.

"You can thank me." Dante looked up to see a teenage boy sitting on the school wall. He had dark brown skin and a long blue ponytail. He was clothed in jeans and boots, a navy blue collared shirt with a nice jacket over that. The boy hopped down in front of Dante. "Hi I'm Zeiveist Charon. I'm your future Bishop." Dante just looked at the shorter teen, unable to understand what was happening.

"Your my… what?" The boy just looked a bit dissatisfied.

"Maybe that's a bit too much for right now…" He waved his hand in front of Dante's face, causing the air where he touched to turn mirror like and to shatter once he pulled back.

"What… what… who are you?"

"Hi I'm Zeiveist Charon and I'm kinda like a stray devil but I haven't really got my King yet so… don't try to think about it too much. But the point I was going to make was that I'm the reason the girls didn't come after you."

"What did you do to them." Dante asked worried over the fact this kid might of hurt them.

"Don't worry, they all think they already went on a date with you. I merely showed them a reality in which you took them all on a date yesterday and swapped their memories from that reality with this one."

"How the hell can you do that?"

"It's my Sacred Gear, Reality Mirror." Zeiveist snapped his fingers and a wall of mirror like shards folded out behind him until they formed a circle around the two. In each mirror was a image of that moment but each a bit different, in one Dante was a girl, in another they both looked like they were in a war, in one Dante had green hair, some of the others had really big differences and in others it seemed minor. The mirrors shattered and Dante looked back at the shorter teen.

"Umm thanks… but why did you help me."

"lets just say that I was bored and wanted to show up earlier than I was supposed to. By the way, the way this was supposed to play out was that Yuuto would come in and take half of the girls off your hands."

"Really… that's cool of him."

"Yeah but you still would have gone on all those other dates… lame fluff stuff that no one wants to see. You go on the dates, you meet one girl you actually like and go on a few more during the break only to break up before school starts, she started getting really clingy and you started having flash backs to Beatrice. Silly stuff that isn't needed. With all that out of the way we can skip right in to the Raynare arc after this." Zeiveist said before a large mirror formed behind him and he started walking through it, its surface cracking but not breaking as he entered.

"What the hell was that…" Dante stood there staring at the spot the strange teen used to be in. He turned around when he heard someone run behind him and saw Yuuto.

"Hey Dante…" Yuuto said as he quickly caught his breath. "I've been looking all over for you. I wanted to help you out but it seems like all the girls around school already think that you went on your dates."

"Yeah… we need to talk to Rias."

* * *

Rias was conflicted. On one hand she was happy that this Zeiveist got Dante out of going on those dates but throughout history the users of the Reality Mirror has been always been unwelcomed by all. They always put people off by their know-it-all attitudes and their inside knowledge on just about everything.

"And you said he said he was a Stray Devil?" Rias asked as she tapped her finger on her desk.

"Yeah but… I didn't get the same feeling I get off the last Stray Devil I faced." That was a hard night. The Stray had mutated into a thee way hybrid of a centipede, a crow, and a human. Fighting it was not fun and disturbing. Dante kicked his feet as he laid back on the right couch. Koneko and Yuuto were starting their contract and he would too once he finished his report of the meeting with the Reality Mirror user. Minamoto was taking Akeno out in celebration of the finished school year.

"Well I haven't heard of anyone grabbing that Sacred Gear user as a servant and considering what he is and that he chose to appear before you… its highly likely that either he's going to become my servant or yours." Rias smiled, either possibility was favorable. Either her gaining a very powerful magic user or the thought that someday Dante was going to grow up and become a high class devil and her equal. But Rias felt herself slip from that momentary joy for some reason.

"Something wrong?" Dante asked as Rias' face turned dower.

"No… nothing at all. But it seems that you lucked out and got off scot-free." Rias said as she forced herself back into a smile. "It seems that you failed in ridding that first year's rather amusing tendencies."

"Well of course you would call his perverseness amusing." Dante frowned, he had still to figure out just how Rias was able to be so open in subjects like this and yet at the same time have air of calm nobility. It hurt his head just trying to think about it.

Issei stared up into the clouds, today was the last day of his first year of high school. But he couldn't feel happy about it at all. He had failed his mentor, Dante… the sensei of badass. It just wasn't in him to resist the greatness that was boobs. His mind turned to all the things he could do if he ever got the chance.

"To one day… just touch them." Issei quickly stood up from the grassy hill he had been laying on. "I know I failed you sensei but I swear, I will take the lessons you gave me and put them to good use! I Swear by your name that next year… I will actually get a girlfriend!"

A little ways away, Zeiveist watched the future Red Dragon Emperor.

"Oh you will little pervert, but I don't think you're going to like it all that much."

* * *

Dante stared at the limo idling outside his and Minamoto's apartment. There was a very short list of people that it could belong to and none of them were people that Dante wanted to see. He then looked back at the building and considered making a run for the Occult Research Clubhouse to wait out whoever had come for him. But that wouldn't work, he needed to handle this now.

"This is going to be unpleasant." Dante said as he started walking into the apartment building.

* * *

Rias quietly sipped her tea as he she read over a letter from her mother, it was the normal checkup and how were you doing kind of letter, well-meaning but not personal. Things stopped being personal when her family had set up that ridiculous marriage. Her eyes glazed over the words not really reading them, her mind was more on her winter plans which were… none. Rias sighed as she put down the letter, she was rather bored, she normally would return to Hell to see family but… that was not happening. So she was stuck in the human world.

As if to save her from the nothingness that was her day, a magic circle appeared in front of her forming a tiny Cerberus holding a letter in the middle mouth. The worm like neck extended out so Rias could read the message without actually touching the letter that was lightly covered in sticky saliva.

"Honestly… you might be cute but you sure are messy." Rias said as she absentmindedly rubbed the right head and read the letter

 _Dear Rias… I'm getting kidnapped… yes I am. Stop laughing Akeno (only applies if Akeno is present) I hate to ask but… Save Me! It won't be like that time I did the saving, I just need you to help me get out of the last bit of family trouble. My stepfather has come calling and pulling me back to Florence, I assume that Beatrice's father has done the same, their trying for one last try at getting us together and hitched as they say in America. While things have certainly cooled between me and her I think both you and me know that she wouldn't be oppose to the idea of our fathers forcing us together. So what I need is for you to follow me back to Italia and help me get out of this… Please Save Me! Yours forever, Dante Alighieri._

Rias Didn't know what to think about this, sure she was going to help Dante but… it seemed kind of sudden. She couldn't just get up and leave, she had responsibilities here and for the Heiress to just up and leave without notice would cause some alarm. Her own family would understand her desire to help her servant but the Phenex House might say that she would be trying to escape her obligations to their star son.

Cerberus purred as her hand still absentmindedly petted its heads. Maybe she could get away with it, it was winter vacation and many students go on trips during this time, she could use that to fool those without compassion for her servant's plight.

Rias smiled as the plan finished forming in her head. Later that day she had gathered her Peerage and Minamoto as she could never deprive her Queen of a whole winter without her man.

* * *

"Why am I here? I still not joining your peerage." Minamoto said as glared at Rias. "I have things to do and…"

"Dante has been kidnaped." Rias said effectively shutting Minamoto up and gaining everyone's undivided attention. "Now I would like to start off by saying he isn't in any danger, his stepfather is simply forcing his position on Dante's love life again. Dante is still legally under his control as a minor and so has been called back to Italy. Dante assumes that Beatrice has been also brought back by her father and that the two men plan to forcibly merry the two. So we will be going on a little vacation to Florence Italy to help him." Rias said with a smile that was a bit too playful for Minamoto's taste considering the circumstances but knew that if she wasn't worried then it should be fine.

"But still why am I here?"

"You're coming too sweetie." Akeno said as she wrapped her arms around his neck from behind the couch he was sitting on. Rias smiled at the fact she had caught a slight blush from the stoic Minamoto. "Dante is your best friend and I know that you would do anything to help him, so I asked Rias if you could come along to help."

"I doubt that was the only reason." Koneko bluntly said as she munched on a cookie, she also wasn't too worried about Dante, he wasn't about to get strapped down to that girl any time soon and everyone in the Peerage knew this.

"Don't worry about your job, I worked everything out with your boss." Rias quickly said, she knew that he was going to ask that at some point. "We leave for the airport in two hours so make sure you get ready." Rias smile continued on through her peerage's shock.

"Umm, president… why are we taking a plane when we could just teleport there?" Yuuto asked.

"Because we're tailing Dante, and he's taking a plane. Besides I've always wanted to fly in one." Minamoto sighed before standing up. He had enough of this and wanted to return home as quick as he could so he could pack. Akeno bowed and followed her boyfriend out.

"Well if we're going to be leaving so soon I guess I should leave to, president." Yuuto said before bowing and also leaving.

"And you Koneko?"

"Are we saving Dante or are we having a vacation?"

"It's both." Both Rias and Koneko looked over at the other couch to see Zeiveist sitting back on the couch. "Hello." Koneko readied to defend her king but stopped at Rias' raised hand.

"I assume you're Zeiveist? The Reality Mirror user."

"Ding ding, hundred points to you… huh… thought about using some nick name from canon but eh not feeling it anymore." Zeiveist turned his head to Koneko and waved his hand over her causing hundreds of mirrors to form over her and then shattered leaving her unconscious. "Don't need the kitty cat for this part."

"I'll over look that because I know you don't mean any real harm. Why are you here?"

"Because I want to be here earlier than I was supposed to be. And I was shafted out of most of chapter five and now that chapter five is chapter six I plan on being around this one whether it makes sense or not."

"So all the rumors around the users of Reality Mirror are true." Rias rubbed the bridge of her nose in annoyance. "Is there anything useful you could tell me, like why you have decided to involve yourself in our affairs."

"Because I'm Dante's future bishop. But don't tell him that. Not unless you want me to bring out the Punishment." Rias shivered at that, she had heard the horror stories of the Punishment, something that the users of the Reality Mirror used on those that they didn't like.

"No… not that. I will not tell Dante about you."

"Good…" Zeiveist kicked himself off the couch landing on one of the armrests. "… I won't leave you with some mind fuck information. That might ruin things that must happen if I want to be able to have my fight with the grabbin' dragon himself." Zeiveist said before dropping down through another mirror.

"So that's Zeiveist… he's seems… exactly like I thought he would be."

* * *

Dante leaned back on his seat, it was nice that his dumbass stepfather shucked out the money for first class. Probably trying to show Dante what he could have if he would just play along. The plane had yet to take off and he was waiting for some kind of response from Rias. He knew that Rias wouldn't let one of her servants get stolen like this but was worried that he hadn't gotten any response from her.

Dante's guards were sitting back in couch but were blocking the primary exits and the only other one that Dante could use to escape was already closed, apparently it was jammed and the plane was on a waiting list for a replacement. More than likely his stepfather bribed the crew to say this just to keep it locked.

"Maybe Rias is already waiting in my stepfather's office with his drool pooling on some paper work that didn't really need to be done anyways."

"No she's handling our luggage." Dante looked back to see Koneko looking through the inflight dessert menu. Next to her was Yuuto currently taking a nap.

"Why are you guys… never mind. So Rias got my message. Good, what's the plan."

"We're going on vacation in your home town." Akeno answered from the aisle next Dante with Minamoto already seated back with his music blasting into his head form his headphones. "We thought it might be fun and you're always saying how nice Florence is." She said as she sat down next to Minamoto.

"So how'd they get you to come along." Dante said to his best friend knowing full well that Minamoto could hear everything around with his Jinn senses.

"How could I say no to an all-expenses paid vacation with my girlfriend. I would be rude to decline." He said in a matter of fact tone.

"We all just want to help you…" Rias said as she walked next to Akeno. "… I treat everyone in my peerage like family, and when one of them is in trouble we all come to help." Rias said smiling as she sat down next to Dante.

"Well thank you, everyone… I never had people like this and I just want to…" Dante stopped and turned back to see Beatrice standing in the aisle behind them. "Can you stop being creepy, I know you can damn it."

"I just walked over here…" Beatrice slightly whimpered.

"… Fine… I'm sorry." Dante reluctantly said causing the girl to beam with cheer as she sat down next to Dante and grabbed on to his arm.

"All is forgiven dearest Dante." Beatrice said as she gleefully snugged up to a captive Dante. While Rias, Koneko, Akeno, and Minamoto glared at the girl.

* * *

"The Shame has left the safety of the Devil's territory. We could just shoot down the plane it rides on." A disembodied voice echoed in the stone chamber. Floating at random points and angles though all facing inward were the high circle of Jinn. Each the Head of their own clan.

"No… the Gremory Heiress is on that flight, to kill her would certainly draw attention to us."

"Agreed, the beings of Hellfire would not ignore such a blatant offence to them. To wound their pride is to declare war."

"I also agree, while the shame is certainly something that must be dealt with it is not worth war, it is barely worth the effort to kill but honor demands that we do."

"I think none would want war with the beings of Hellfire but maybe if we hide our involvement. They will be flying over a unstable area of the world and none would think twice if a stray shot would…"

"No!" A new commanding voice interjected, all turned their eyes to the oldest among them. Grand Chief Haarith. "We shall wait and see where the shame lands and simply take action from there. I call this meeting to a close." With that they all nodded to each other and quietly disappeared leaving only Haarith and one other Jinn. "You have something to say Fateena Tahir?"

"I wanted to know if you are still willing Grand Chief, your age has certainly made you lose that anger you once had but many are starting to question if that is such a good thing."

"I assure you, I will and shall always be true to my people. I will lead us until the day I return to oblivion."

"I see… well I hope that is true." She finally said before disappearing along with the rest.

"These kids these days… in such a hurry."

* * *

Dante stared across the dining room table. His sister sitting next to him and his mother across. His stepfather was absent and would likely be until their meeting in two days. Right now Dante didn't care, he had business with his mother.

"Mother… why was I kidnaped?" Dante said bluntly. His sister just watched with wide eyes.

"Oh… you weren't kidnaped." His mother held back the groan but it did bleed through. "We simply wanted you home for your winter break." She said before taking another sip of her soup.

"Does that mean that I will be returning to Kuoh academy?"

"That remains to be seen." His mother replied quietly before continuing her meal. "I heard that you did quite well in your classes. I expected nothing less." Dante's sister slumped back, the interesting part had ended and now they were on to boring small talk.

"Yes… I think I will do well again next year… at Kuoh academy." Dante's return was unexpected to both his mother and sister, normally he would grumble and just respond to the small talk but nothing more.

"I see… so you truly do wish to follow your own path in life?" Dante mother as she stood up and walked around the long table and over to her son. "Then make sure that you know it's the right one." She said before kissing his forehead and then leaving her two children to find something else to occupy her time.

"Wow… was it always that easy?" Dante's sister asked as she hopped off her chair.

"I doubt it… so Renata how's your year without your favorite victim around." Dante said as he finally gave attention to the soup in front of him.

"I've done alright… the girls coming around looking for you have been fun to mess with but nothing beats you." She smiled as she always did when she was planning something.

"I see… you put a few things in the soup havn't you?"

"Nope, that would be too easy." Renata said before skipping off out of the room. Dante's eyes narrowed before quickly summoning Cerberus under the table.

"Like I'd believe that." Dante said before dumping the soup down Cerberus' middle mouth.

* * *

"This is poisoned." Minamoto said as he stared at his soup. He, Akeno and Rias were at a small café near their hotel. Koneko and Yuuto had stayed behind, Koneko wanted to explore the building and Yuuto wanted to see what kind of TV Italy had.

"What makes you say that?" Rias asked but both her and Akeno were confused as to why he might think that, they had not been in the city for more than a day and already he thought someone was trying to kill him. Akeno already knew the extent his Jinn relatives wanted him dead and Rias had been made aware before the trip.

"Because you or Dante did not make it." Minamoto said bluntly. The only reason he ordered the soup was because he wanted to test if they knew he was fair game again, the smell of snake venom had caught his nose as the waiter placed it in front of him. "At least my relatives had so predicable in their tradition that I can avoid most of their attempts absentmindedly." He said pushing away the bowl and then gave a heavy sigh before looking up at the sky. "The weather is nice here though."

"Yes I agree. It certainly beats winter in Japan." Rias said before smelling the tea she had been given, she too had learned from a young age to be careful. "Are your extended family that committed to your death that they would try something this quickly?"

"It's not their committed, but obligated. Personally from what I have read they see me more as a annoyance that simply just won't go away until I stop existing. They see me not as a problem but as a mistake, one that they hate because they have to deal with me. I'm sure that they would prefer to ignore me but won't because to do so would offend their pride. It's fine though… I've never cared why they hate me or even if they do… it's their problem not mine and I'm not going to make it mine." Rias watched closely at her Queen as the Jinn decedent spoke, though she tried to hide it Rias still saw the admiration Akeno had for Minamoto and could see how the two could end up together. Not only had they had similar personalities though Akeno was certainly more open while Minamoto was more insular but they also had families that persecuted them for simply being who they are.

"So do you think that they will try again?" Akeno asked before also pushing away the meal given to her.

"Oh I'm sure that they already have… which is we I insisted that you book me at a different hotel and why I had dummy luggage sent there. They will send any hitman there and leave me alone… for now." Minamoto sighed.

"You could always join my Peerage, I'm sure being part of the Gremory household will get them to stop." Rias smiled as Akeno beamed at that idea.

"Oh it could be so fun; you would make a great Knight."

"I'm sorry but no…" Minamoto laughed before continuing. "I have my eye on a different post that has yet to open just yet." He said leaning back in his chair.

* * *

Dante was lounging out on the roof of his family's home, taking in as much free time before something stupid and irritating happened. Like his sister trying something again. she had tried to fool him by rigging his bedroom door with a paint can but the moment he heard it move to fall he froze the paint and caught the falling can. Quickly unfreezing it just to mess with Renata once she found it waiting outside his door.

But now he was alone, laying back on a lounger soaking up the warm sun. Then a slight scowl formed as he heard the sound of another lounger being dragged over by him.

"Rias… if that's you I'm not in the mood for…" Dante stopped talking when he saw a reflection of… well it wasn't himself because it was Dante… but female looking back at him. Also looking very shocked.

"This is wrong in so many ways." The female Dante said as she turned back to the sky trying not to look at her male counterpart.

"A mindfuck if there ever was one." Dante grumbled as he to tried to ignore his gender swap reflection and ANY thoughts on the fact that she was very attractive.

"Hey… over there is it the whole gender swap thing or is it just you?"

"A test? Best friend is male and is named Minamoto." Dante said back.

"Then it's the whole thing mine's female and is named Michi."

"Close enough… wait… is Issei still a guy?" The look on her face answered his question. "Huh… that's weird… although somehow better than the alterative."

"This isn't how this was supposed to go!" Zeiveist said as he popped his head over the mirror. "You were supposed to freak out and go… AH! What the FUCK?!" Zeiveist hopped over and Dante noticed something, there wasn't a female copy of him in the mirror. "Something… anything… At least some reaction to the fact the your turning yourself on!" Both of the Grim Reapers just glared at Zeiveist.

"Can you please let us return to our sunbathing." The male Dante said flatly.

"Or at the very least shut up." The female Dante also said flatly.

"Oh very well…" Zeiveist snapped his fingers and the large jagged mirror shattered and then he glumly walked over to the lounger he pulled over to lay down. "You normally people freak out when I do shit like that. But you don't that's why… almost said to much… you have no idea how hard that is for me."

"So what exactly can you do?"

"I can look into the infinity, literally. Everything that can, will, could, or should happen happens and I can see and touch it all. Take the pervious mirror, it was one of the infinite gender swap realties. And there are gender swap realities to match the realities that don't have you in them and the ones that don't have devils at all too… every possibility does exist in some way or form." A mirror formed above the two showing a green sky. "This is one where the sky is green for no reason at all." The mirror shattered and another formed but from Dante's perspective it seemed to look the same. "This is a reality that has a scientific reason for the sky being green." Another mirror formed in place of the last. This has a massive meteor coming down to them. "This is one with a green sky and the planet is doomed." Zeiveist said before snapping his fingers and shattering the mirror. "Many different possibilities, and see them all."

"First off… how are you not insane? Second… just how old are you because you look like a kid and yet you talk like an aged philosopher."

"I can only see things that are directly connected to the area around me. If I was to walk a few blocks away then I couldn't be able to see any other _yous_. But I can go to any reality I want, I just have to know it exists but since every one of them exists it's kinda tricky. But I've gotten used to it, and I'm thirteen but I've been learning this stuff since I was seven."

"Really… then how is it you seem so… smart? I mean you just talk like the tras-dimensional being you are and not the thirteen brat you look like."

"I had great teachers. Cameo time… nah… some other time… KFC spork…"

"What?"

"Never mind… I guess cameos are just not yet ready. Need to play out me first before people are ready for the real crazy I bring… fuck it! I'm doing a cameo!" Zeiveist snapped his fingers and a smaller mirror on the ground appeared and out of it came R2-D2. "Ta da!"

"Okay… that's cool." Dante said sitting up to get a better view of the famous droid. "Can you do Yoda?"

"No… he doesn't like it unless I tell him in advance. But little R2 here loves it." Zeiveist said as he padded the white and blue dome head of the droid, it beeping in appreciation.

"Can you bring out any character from fiction?" Dante said as he watched R2 roll around his house's roof.

"Kinda, some realities have rules for me, those are the ones that have _Gods_ " He said with air quotes. "Some have banned me from doing stuff and others don't care. When I take people out of their reality and in to another one they're in a form of stasis and don't change and too much damage causes them to shatter and return back. And since time is subject to only one's own reality I can pick and choose when the person comes from, and most of the time when they get sent back they have no knowledge of what happened, they write it off as a dream or random thoughts." Zeiveist snapped his fingers sending R2 back to its home reality.

* * *

Dante awoke the next morning in his old bed. He had gotten to use to the small single bed of his and Minamoto's apartment and the queen sized one felt wrong to him. Too much space… and too much of that space was being taken up. Dante opened his eyes to see familiar red hair.

"I am so dead…." Dante mumbled as Rias stirred.

"Good morning Dante."

"Good morning Rias… if I don't like you in my bed back in japan why would you think I would be okay with it in my family home?" Dante said quietly holding back his normal annoyance. He would never admit it but he had gotten fairly used to Rias sleeping next to him and would take it to his grave but had begun to have fairly restless nights when she wasn't there. His strong value on edict and certain boundaries demanded that Rias' presence was unwelcomed.

But before Rias could say some witty retort they both turned to Dante opening.

"Hey Dante mom says to… come… down… for breakfast?" Renata stared at the two teens, one of whom was naked, at first trying to piece together an expiation and then one with a predatory grin. "You are so busted!" She said as she ran back to the hallway.

"Was that your sister, she's adorable." Rias slightly laughed, blowing off the apparent danger presented by the young girl.

"Yeah… like a badger." Dante said as he pushed himself off the bed. "She thinks she's got something on me but my mother doesn't care in the slightest what I do. I could commit cold blooded murder right in front of her and she wouldn't care." Dante said as he went over what he would wear for the day.

"Really, sounds kinda sad… my mother is a task master. Never say that she doesn't work hard her children." Dante's mind quickly dissected that statement, the words were in fact showed gratefulness and found memories that could be seen in hindsight as good but the tone was slightly sour, most likely stemming from her mother's involvement with the arranged marriage.

"Eh… my mother isn't that bad, if I murder someone… she'll just assume that I had a good reason. She's a good mom… as long as it doesn't threaten her."

"Why would being a good mother threaten her?" Rias honestly had a hard time understand what he could mean by that.

"She's a good mom as long as her kids help keep her living the way she wants to, her involvement in my arranged marriage, it's because the marriage with Beatrice would be great for the family company and so she wants that. Me not marrying Beatrice doesn't threaten her life style that much so I'm not worried about her when we fix this. The thing with my mom is that she expects to live at a certain level, she'll do anything to rise that level but she's good as long as it doesn't below. I have no doubt in my mind that she would do anything to have me marry Beatrice if the company's only way to survive was the marriage." Dante said as he walked over to his bedroom door. "But since it doesn't… we're good… now enough about my mom… get out." Dante said as he opened the door. "You can join us for breakfast or not I don't really care." With that Rias magically got herself dressed and walked out of Dante's room to go down to eat. With that Dante just sighed, and started his morning routine.

* * *

Rias was surprised by the size of Dante's family home. It was like a inner city version of her own family home. It made sense due to Dante's family being one of the wealthiest in Italy, being the owners of one of the largest shipping companies.

It took her at the very minimum of twenty minutes before she found the main dining hall, and it was a hall and not a room. The girl from earlier was already sitting at the long hardwood table, Rias suspected that she might be nine or maybe ten years old. The only one else in the room were two serving girls waiting at the back door that must have been to kitchen. The girl just slightly ignored Rias as she sat across from her. It wasn't too long before Rias was served her breakfast.

"Hello my darling family…" A woman Rias could only assume was Dante's mother sang out as she came in to the hall. "… and a good morning to you too, whoever you are." The woman said as she sat down. The look on Dante's sister's face was filled with readiness and excitement. But before she was about tell on Dante she was encased in ice, along with the serving girls. Rias was honestly surprised as she turned to Dante who was entering the hall.

"Hey mom… you and I need to talk about grandpa." Dante said as he slouched back in the chair next to Rias.

"So you became a Devil… I thought as much when I saw that the Gremory heiress here." She said as she calmly sipped from the glass of wine she came in with. "But before we talk about your grandfather I want to know just why you became a devil in the first place."

"Um… I'm sorry but, I'm a little confused." Rias said before Dante could answer. "Dante just how did you know your mother knew about her Reaper heritage."

"Oh I didn't…" Dante said bluntly. "If she hadn't known I would have asked you to fix her memory."

"Such a forward-thinking boy you've become." Dante's mother said a little sarcastically. "But I'm happy to hear that you are ruthless enough to be willing to let someone change your own blood's memory on a whim. Now answer my question if you would."

"I became a Devil to escape Beatrice." Dante answered.

"Why would you need to become a Devil to escape that little tramp." Dante knew that his mother had never been found of Beatrice, his marriage to her was just business.

"You didn't know… she became a Succubus." That made his mother pause before taking her next sip. She calmly placed the glass down on the table before leaning forward, the tone in the air had changed considerably.

"Is that so… I had long suspected the Portinari family too be a bit more than human. To think I almost sold you off to them, I truly am sorry my son." Her words were far more honest than they had been in the past. "And I thank you Miss Gremory, I know my boy can be quite the contradiction, both the gentlemen and trouble maker but I'm happy that he has found himself in the service of a family like yours."

"Thank you, Dante has been quite the prize for my peerage. I am lucky to have him."

"That's nice dear…" Dante's mother said returning back to her normal laid back demeanor. "… but now we face a problem, my husband is quite set on this marriage. Changing his mind won't as easy as memory alteration." She said as she took back her wine glass. "You kid sure have your work cut out for you." She smiled before standing up to leave.

"And what do mean by that, don't you just have to threaten to cut him off?" Dante said bluntly earning him a slight glare from his mother. "What?"

"You should not speak in such a way around such pleasant company." This caused a slight giggle from Rias and a groan from Dante. Rias was enjoying seeing him in a such a casual manner. It was something she only saw rarely, Dante normally kept a mask of gentlemanly restraint and while that was certainly part of his personality it was still a mask he wore. "But no, I will not do such a thing. This marriage is being pushed more by the Portinari family then ours in truth. It was them that came to us." Dante looked back at his mother with a surprised look, he didn't know about this. He had always assumed that it was his stepfather that had started this whole mess. "I will speak to my husband informing him of my lack of support for this whole affair… And Dante, make sure you put your sister back the way you found her." She said before leaving the hall. Dante snapped his fingers and the ice melted away and a few moments later Dante's sister and the serving girls regained consciousness. Renata blinked and then noticed that her mother was gone and Dante was sitting across from her.

"Umm… Dante… where'd mama go?" Renata said completely confused as to what happened.

"Renata…" Dante said with fake worry. "… mama has been dead for nine years now."

"That's not funny."

"No it isn't." He said continuing the joke. "Do you see her Renata, is she in this room?" At that Renata scoffed and ran out the room not liking being the one who the joke was on while Dante just sipped his coffee with a smile on his lips. "Oh… forgot to ask mother about grandfather." Dante said after waving to the staff to bring him breakfast. "By the way didn't I ask you to put me in contact with him when I became a Devil?"

"You did…" Rias said before she sipped her own coffee. "… Yours is much better by the way." She said setting the cup down and pushing it away. "Your grandfather joined the Nergal House after his rebirth, fortunately it is the more public of the two Houses of Grim. I was able to make contact with their representative to the Gremory House but… he's not talking without my brother being in the room." There was a very slight tone of aggression in Rias' voice.

"Something wrong?"

"It's nothing… just more problems with my family."

"Well… if there's anyone that could slightly understand it, it would be me." Dante said trying to console his King. He honestly thought that compared to his silly little family problems Rias' issues were monstrous. She was next in line to lead one of the most powerful families in Hell and he was just the second son of a shipping empire, pretty big difference.

"Thank you…" Dante noticed something in Rias' eyes as she turned to him, something that he felt as familiar but he couldn't place what it was. "… it's not that the representative was in the wrong or was rude for requesting my brother be present. It's likely that he simply is following the orders of his own family. But… what upset me about the whole thing was that he said that I shouldn't be holding him up with meaningless request when I should be busy with the planning of my wedding." Rias noticed that the air had turned dramatically colder to the point that one of the serving girls left to check the AC.

"Is that so… well I think I have a few words to say to the bastard." Dante growled out.

"No need for that… the way he said wasn't anything to be angry about, I think he was more annoyed at the fact I was interrupting his work than anything else. It just reminded me of how little freedom I have over my fate. Of how I will always be a Gremory and all that comes with it."

"Stupid family expectations, you should be able to whatever the hell you want. A person is a person beyond what their name is. My name is tagged with ships and cargo but I want to be a chief, your name is tagged with power and nobility but you should be able to do and merry who you want regardless." Dante didn't notice but Rias' face had turned as red as her hair from Dante's little speech.

"Yes… your right, and I should feel sorry for myself. We both promised to free each other from our fate, and I shouldn't loss faith just as we're about to free you. I wouldn't be able to collect on my half." Rias said trying to collect herself.

Hiding on the top of the chandelier a small drone recorded the two Devil teens sending back the whole event back to its owner. Zeiveist watched the video feed and smiled.

"Aw… the seeds of love have been planted but they won't grow for some time… after all, Issei funny times need to happen." He slightly laughed. "And now readers, we turn to what Issei is doing on his summer break… no… no one wants to see that. Lets go back Minamoto and Akeno are doing in Florence, by the way I sent them a little help."

* * *

"I don't like being interrupted when I'm on such a romantic date." Akeno smiled as she tightened the binds on the would-be assassin that had tried and failed to gun down Minamoto.

"Blessed bullets… and a gun made in the Fires of a Jinn…" Minamoto said as he checked the assailant's weapon. "This was made to kill me. No way around it, but this guy looks local."

"That means someone gave him the gun. Goodie, now we get to have more fun preying the information out of him." The tied up man's eyes widened at the tone Akeno held when saying this and began struggling to get free as quick as he could."

"Or… we could return to our date?" Minamoto said trying to ignore his family's vendetta against him. He had learned over the years that that was far more effective than trying to actually stop them.

"Yeah, I guess we could." Akeno said reluctantly then looked back at the thug. "Then what do we do with him? We could take him to police, I mean he did try and kill you." At that moment, the door to one of the building that sided the ally they were in was kicked open.

"And stay out!" Someone yelled before throwing another person out of the building. The man landed in a pile of trash, a loud groan escaped out showing he was still kicking.

"Stupid bitch… all I was doing was my job and some how I'm the bad guy." The man said as he stood up and looked over to Akeno and Minamoto. "Ah… just like the kid said two kids and a tied dumbass." The man said before walking over to the couple. "Hey, name's Zaeed Massani. That little pissant Zeiveist hired me to keep the two of you safe." He spoke in a gruff slightly British accent and from the scars on his face it was easy to tell that he had quite a bit of experience on him. "First part of the job is getting rid of this moron." In one swift move the man pulled a pistol to the thugs head and fired. Neither showed much reaction to the killing, both having experience with death although both still felt it might have been unnecessary. "All right, the two of you get out of here before this thing starts to stink." The two complied and quickly walked out of the ally.

"Well that kinda ruined the mood." Minamoto said trying to lighten the heavy air that the last few minutes created.

"It's fine, it's your family's fault more than anything. But we're not going to let them ruin things are we?"

"Nope." Minamoto said smiling as Akeno looped around his arm and the two started walking back in to the city.

* * *

"And I got beat up over there." Dante said as he pointed at a ally in between a bakery and Thai Food place. "And over there." Koneko looked over to the small park. Dante was showing Koneko and Rias around his neighborhood.

"It seems that you made quite a few people angry with your dating habits." Rias joked as they followed the Grim Reaper down the park path.

"Yeah… brothers just don't stop no matter how far. Fathers are a little easier but the area bit more aggressive when it comes to the actual ass kicking." Dante said as he led the two girls through the park. Koneko enjoying the large cotton candy Dante had picked up from a street vender while rias just enjoyed the home-made coffee. "And that's the tree I hid in for a full three days."

"Hey Dante! That you?!" The group turned to see two guys walking over to them. Both of them were dressed in the local high school uniform.

"Oh… hey Matteo, Ettore." Dante said politely responded but it was clear to both of the girls that he wasn't that happy to see them. "You guys doing good?"

"Doing a lot better now that you've made the playing field even again." The one called Matteo laughed. "But I heard you transferred to a school in Japan. What's up with that?"

"Yeah had to get away from my family, I'm not even staying here for that long. Just here to finish a few things and then I'm heading back, I actually hoping for good."

"Really, permanently moving? Wasn't expecting that from you." The one called Ettore said, Koneko could hear the tension leave from his body at the news that Dante wasn't coming back. "So who are the lovely ladies here with you, friends from out east." He said as he moved toward Rias.

"Yeah… my friends." Dante said, his message loud and clear. "Is there something you guys wanted or are you just here to hit on my friends?"

"Damn Dante, you haven't changed at all. Still so high and mighty."

"Yeah, your still the same hypocrite that you were before you left." The two scoffed at Dante and quickly left.

"Lamewads." Koneko flatly said just before they were out of earshot.

"Old friends?" Rias asked Dante.

"Nah, I never really had friends. I was popular but never had any… well let's just say I'm a lot happier at Kuoh than I was here." Dante said before returning to his tour of Florence.

* * *

Dante looked across form the large mahogany desk to his stepfather. The man was… decently large, but not in a portly way more like brick. Square jaw and even squarer head. Blading a little but so much to be noticeable. The man was a respectable six, but personality brought him down to a two.

Next to Dante was Rias and the presence of her had a clear effect on his stepfather, in the form of confusion. Who is this girl? Why did he bring her? Is he fucking her? Many questions but all coming back to a single commonality, is she going to ruin things?

"Hello stepfather." Dante said calmly. Dante was not going to let things go sideways in any sense of the phrase. He was here to end this whole arc of his life and was going end it now.

"Dante… so good for to return home for your summer break. And who is this that you brought with you?" What he really wanted to know was if she was some girl Dante had knocked up to get out of the marriage.

"The answer to the question you are really looking for is no. I will not say anything else on the subject. But I have come to inform you that I will be cutting ties to both you and the rest of the family and company." This was a bit of a surprise to both Rias and his stepfather, more so his stepfather than Rias. "I will be returning to japan and continuing my studies in Kuoh Academy then I will apply to culinary school so that I can began my dream of becoming a world class chef." The grinding of his stepfather's teeth could be heard from outside the office.

"If you think you can pay for all of this foolishness…"

"He won't." Rias interjected. "My family is on the board of directors for the Kuoh Academy and have offered Dante a full scholarship. He is someone we are not looking to lose." Rias said calmly though her eyes were as sharp as knives. He leaned back in his seat as to think over what was happening in front of him.

"You want to cut ties to own family? Is that so… such a drastic move on your part Dante. If we can speak frankly, I know you no longer wish to be with the Portinari girl and have been trying to find a way out of your upcoming marriage." Dante narrowed his eyes at that. They still were planning on Dante to submit. "And this scholarship is the best way for you to this. You know that you will be shunned from your family and you will no longer be able to use family funds to live your expensive life style." Both Dante and Rias internally scoffed at that, Dante was by far a spoiled rich brat. "Your best option in this whole thing would be to simply accept your marriage, you do after love the girl." That last comment more threat than fact. Dante nodded to Rias and she agreed that normal talks weren't going to work. Rias looked over to Dante's stepfather and began the memory manipulation. But just as it started to take effect the doors to the office opened and Rias suddenly felt her magic being forced back into her.

"Sorry for being late…" The voice was deep and when Dante looked back felt it didn't belong to the owner's body type. He was lean yet fit, wearing a red and purple suit with three gold bars clipped over the tie. His blond combed back hair matched his daughter's who was standing behind him. "…but traffic was a nightmare."

"Mr. Portinari!" Dante's stepfather stood up to quickly shake the man's hand. Dante eyed back to Beatrice but her eyes were trained on the floor. Rias was watching the new man carefully, something felt off about him.

"Mr. Alighieri, it is good to see you good sir. I hope business is going well." Dante really didn't like Beatrice's father. He never did, from the moment he met him when the first started dating he felt was like a snake was slithering its way down Dante's throat. "And its good to see as well Dante, I hope you enjoyed my arranging Beatrice to join you in japan. I simply could not allow for you two to be separated." The tone of his voice said because he believed he was keeping two people in love together but his eyes said otherwise.

"Mr. Portinari, I have no illusions that you are powerful man…" Dante started speaking. "But I don't care about that. Try as you might, but I will be leaving your life and your daughter's. I have no plans to marry her or to be with her in any way or form."

"Is that so, I sorry to hear that." Dante at that moment felt something push its way into his mind and going on pure reflexes he raised his palm up to the man with the blade of hi scythe extending out of his hand up to his neck. "I see… no wonder Uberto came back so angry. He wasn't lying when he said that my daughter was a true failure." He said without care that a blade was inches from slicing through his neck. "I expected as much, you and your brother have nothing but pieces on a game board, and yet you can't even work as you were supposed to." There was no anger in his voice, just cold certainty. Beatrice never stopped from looking down from ground. Dante's stepfather was just drooling back in his chair. Rias just watched the event unfold.

"What exactly are you, I can't believe for a moment you are human."

"But that is what I am, a human." It was a lie with Dante ever heard one. "But what you are is far more interesting, a Grim Reaper. Such strong and raw power held in you. The power to freeze hell over and cause heaven to crash to earth. I simply wished for that power to be part of my family."

"By turning me into a Heartbreaker?"

"A unfortunate necessity, you needed to be controlled or least you escape from the plans of your betters. Plans that are still in motion, It does not matter if you have stalled them momentarily but that is all you have done. The fact that you are a devil only means that I can take my time. You can tell your stepfather that my offer is no longer on the table as I no longer need him. Good day." He said walking out of the office, Beatrice behind him still looking down to the floor.

* * *

Dante leaned his plane seat, h had said his goodbyes to his family, in truth he had no real intention to abandon them. Just his stepfather. He would stay in touch through other means. The business with Beatrice's father was something that worried both Dante and Rias but Dante didn't care, what could that creepy bastard do when Dante is a Devil, Protected by the Gremory House, thousands of miles away, and Dante could literally freeze him in an instant.

* * *

Author Notes

Reviews

FluffyShepepLion- Well you've got more of him.

Fate Burn- thank you.


	6. Chapter 6

**[Important! This is not a new chapter, this is the last chapter, the new chapter is the one behind this one. I wanted to do something else before the canon. The new chapter is a new chapter five and this is the old chapter five that has been bumped up to six.]**

* * *

Dante woke up to his alarm clock. It made him happy that he no longer had worry about it since he got rid of Rias. But once he clicked it off he noticed something… he wasn't alone in his bed. His eyes slightly twitching in suppressed anger her turned to see Rias' smiling face, again she was completely naked. Not that it bothered Dante anymore, she had effectively burned her nude form into his mind with how much he tended to see it.

"Good morning Dante." She said sweetly.

"Why. Are. You. Here. Rias."

"Because today is the start of our third year of high school and I thought as it's a special occasion I thought I would sleep in with you." Dante glared back.

"Is that so… well then let's just stay in all day and cuddle together just relaxing in bed all day." The sarcasm dripped from Dante's words.

"While that does sound quite lovely I'm afraid that as a model student I can not…"

"I WASN'T SERIOUS DAMNIT!" Dante yelled causing Rias to yell back. They continued this as Akeno and Minamoto just kept drinking their coffee.

"It seems Rias might have bit off bit more than normal." Minamoto said as he calmly sipped his coffee. He was overjoyed (not that he showed it publicly) when Akeno stole Dante secret to his coffee. Though it was ruined slightly when Dante found out and instead of freaking out like the two wanted him to he just made Minamoto draw up a contract for Akeno to sign saying that she would never make more than two a morning. The lengths Dante went to keep his two a morning rule intact were worrying to Minamoto but so long as he got said coffee he didn't really care.

"Isn't it sweet… they fight like an old married couple." Akeno smiled as she sipped her tea, she really wasn't for coffee, she just made it for her boyfriend and to try at irritating Dante. It really showed when Minamoto would make the amusing and satisfying comment that hers was better. Dante failed at keeping his cool in the form of crushing the cup in his hand, it was a good thing grim Reapers don't bleed.

"So what's the plan for the first day of school." Minamoto said as he looked over the list of books he needed for the next round of classes. " _Ah fuck… why didn't take more out of the Fix It account when I had the chance!_ "

"Well, we need to get the Occult Research Club registered again. But other than that…" Akeno stopped when the yelling stopped and Dante kicked his door open. The sound of Dante's shower starting telling the calmer teens where the Gremory heiress was.

"You!" Dante pointed his finger at Akeno. "You let her in!"

"You know she can just teleport in right." Minamoto said putting down his list.

"No! I warded my room off and just to be sure I warded off the whole building!"

"That's rather irresponsible, what if there was an emergency and we needed to get in that moment."

"I was crafty… it only works at night and when I'm in my room." Dante slightly bragged as he walked to his kitchen to start on his breakfast. "But she still get's in… I wonder how." Dante shot dagger eyes towards Akeno though she simply ignored him.

"Why is this such a big deal?" Minamoto asked, he never understood this problem Dante had. Every boy in their school would very likely kill to be in his place.

"It is my bed! And anyone that comes in with me should be my choice. It is the god… fuck that hurts… given right to all. Girls get to decided when guys can join them in bed and it works the other way around, even if guys will rarely ever say no but the rule still stands."

"You really are set in your ways aren't you." Minamoto sighed.

* * *

Later that day.

Dante looked over the chess board. His rooks had been taken, irony, he still had his knights and one bishop. His queen deep in enemy territory, his king back in the right corner, and only three pawns left. All he had to show was the loss of Rias' queen, one of her knights, and two of her pawns.

" _No! the stakes are too high to lose; I shall overcome this!_ " Dante thought as Rias took another of his pawns. He keeps his poker face well but on the inside his was melting. He much rather preferred grand strategy games like Risk to chess. He had tried to get Rias to play said game but she shot that idea down flat, saying there was no beating a classic.

"It's your move." Rias announced, her words a gentle taunt. Right now the two were playing for the high stakes indeed. If Dante won, Rias will stay out of his bed, if Rias wins… the opposite would happen. Dante looked over his options… there weren't many.

" _I could sacrifice my queen to give my pawn a chance at a promotion but there's a good chance that it would just get taken away. Or I could move back for a strong defense… no no no… that's not the kind of game we're playing. Damnit I'm a hold back and let the enemy tire themselves out kind of player, you can't do that in chess._ " Dante decided to move his knight forward in attempt at setting a trap. Rias slightly smiled. " _Fuck! She saw right through that._ " Rias started to make her move but both of them turned to the window when they heard people talking outside of the old school building. Rias walked over to see Issei and his friends resting likely after being chased by angry female students.

"Have you ever noticed that boy Issei's soul feels strong?" Rias asked Dante, turning back into the room after the boys saw her.

"No…" Dante said not taking his attention from the game. "… but then again I'm not really in tune with that kind of thing. Why? Is there something in him?"

"Maybe… I never noticed before because your soul overlapped his." Rias said as she returned to their match. Making her move. "Check."

"Should we put eyes on him?" Dante made his move, he knew he was screwed but made one last ditch try.

"Yes… I think we should." Rias smile continued as she made her last move. "Checkmate." Rias said as she took Dante's King. "Your trap was very easy to see through."

"Yeah… I would have won if this was Risk… but then again it's not really fun with two people." Dante groaned as Rias stood up and walked past him. "Fair is fair though…" Dante then grumbled his admit to defeat.

* * *

After school that day.

" _This can not be happening to me right now_." Issei thought as the girl in front of him complimented him. He had never seen her before and yet… she was asking to go on a date with him.

"See… the thing is… I'd like you to be my boyfriend." The girl asked. He couldn't understand what was going on but something nagged at the back of his mind.

Flashback.

 _"_ _Beware the forward girls." Dante instructed to Issei as he walked around Issei doing pushups. "A girl will never simply walk up to you and begin acting friendly."_

 _"_ _But that happens to Kiba all the time." Issei asked and he wished he hadn't because Dante added on to the weight on Issei's back._

 _"_ _That's because he has a sparkling reputation. He is approachable, while you are yet to be maggot! Until such a time you must be wary. For any girl that would come up asking you out for no reason will in fact have a reason and it is rarely good for you."_

End of Flashback.

Issei mind was to happy and excited at the prospect at having a girlfriend to remember Dante's warning. All he could think was a single sentence on repeat.

" _I'm getting laid! I'm getting laid! I'm getting laid!_ " Issei snapped out of his quick stupor to answer the girl. "Umm… go out?" That was all that his mind was able to come up with.

"Yeah, next Sunday afternoon. Can you do it/"

"Sure! That sounds great. I can do it anytime you want."

"it's a date then… night." The girl said before running off waving Issei goodbye. "I really I'm happy your my boyfriend." She said before leaving.

"Ditto… bye, bye." Issei couldn't contain his excitement. "A date! A date!" Issei yelled out as he ran down the nearby stairs. "This is so badass! I'm going to see lady parts. I am the man." Issei jumped in glee off the stairs.

At the top of the stairs Dante's body formed from ice from the ground up as Koneko walked in next to him.

"So the pervert really does have a Sacred Gear in him." Koneko said before licking her ice cream as Dante's form finished changing.

"That dumbass… I warned him not to trust girls like that." Dante growled out. "You sure you sense something in him?"

"It's kinda of embarrassing for you that you spent so much time with him and never noticed."

"No it's just that you're just a show off." Dante scoffed as he walked over to the middle of the bridge. "That girl… she felt like a Fallen Angel, it's sad that his first girlfriend had to be her. It wouldn't be if I just did a little better job."

"It's not your fault that he's a mega pervert."

* * *

Next Sunday Night.

Issei laid bleeding out in the park, having been stabbed by his date.

" _I'm about to freakin' die! It's over… damn… I can't even move anymore. Trying to touch a pair of orbs. What a stupid way for a person to die! To be honest I know I've lived a shallow life. I promise next time… I'm going to listen to you sensei… I will live as a better person. I sorry sensei but I failed you. You tried to help me reach greatness and even said my dream was attainable so long as I did it with a good heart. I promise, if I could just live through this… I'll have that good heart you wanted me to have._ " A that moment a red light appeared above Issei ending in Dante forming out of ice.

"What did I tell you… never trust forward women." His sensei said, his eyes filled with disappointment. "And look at yourself… you went and got yourself killed." Issei watched as a scythe grew out of his sensei's spine. "In the name of lord Death, I reap your soul!" Dante yelled out dramatically holding the scythe over his body in mid swing.

"Bad Reaper." Issei watched as Rias Gremory slapped the back of Dante's head.

"Ow… come on, I wasn't serious." Dante said as he stopped his swing and rubbed the back of his head. "Don't worry Issei, we're not going to let you die." That was the last thing Issei heard before blacking out. "So you going to make him one of us now?" Dante turned to his King.

"Of course, he has power and certainly has poetical. You said it yourself, he is a good person deep down."

"Yeah I know… but can I handle him. He should be my responsibility."

* * *

The next night.

" _Why did I have to say that?_ " Dante thought, thinking back on his request to make Issei his responsibility. He had tried to let Issei feel out his new powers and it had started to work but… things went down hill once that Fallen Angel got involved. Now Dante was holding his scythe blade to the bastard's neck while Issei was once again bleeding out.

"Let me go you scum!" The Fallen Angel demanded but Dante just ignored him and watched as Rias, Akeno and Koneko appeared by magic circle.

"And now you'll learn why you messed with the wrong piece of _scum_." Dante said as he let the Fallen Angel go and walked over to the other Devils. The Fallen Angel quickly recognized Rias as the heir to the Gremory House. And after a quick and slightly threatening exchange of words he left the Devils to their business. "I'm sorry Rias… I couldn't get to the chase in time to stop him from doing this." Dante apologized as Rias looked over Issei.

"He needs help quickly." Koneko reminded everyone of the current situation.

"Don't worry… I'll take care of everything." Rias smiled in a way that made Dante uneasy.

"What's wrong… I thought you wanted Rias to leave you to your own bed?" Minamoto teased as he sipped his coffee. He watched as his best friend tapped on his own cup the way he always did when he was irritated.

"Shut it." Dante was not in the mood for either Minamoto or Akeno's jokes and prods.

"Oh… maybe he's upset at the fact she was in Issei's bed last night or better yet maybe he's mad at the possibility that she might like Issei as a bed mate more than him." Akeno added on.

"I said shut it! Who she sleeps aside to is her business and none of mine."

"Me thinks you doth protest too much." Minamoto said as he hid behind some of the first bits of homework. "But then again… as the bard once said _The course of true love never did run smooth_."

"You really want to use what you learned in that brit literature class don't you? That quote doesn't even fit the situation." Dante groaned. At least he could take his frustration out on the source, his former student… Issei.

* * *

"I don't know who's she sending to fetch me…but their taking their sweet ass time." Issei mumbled as his mind tried to make a bit of sense of this morning. He had been in bed with Rias Gremory, and they were naked! It was pure heaven, the whole business with being a devil and her newest servant was a shock but he could think of worse fates… like dying.

A load crash caused Issei to return to reality, he looked over to the kicked open door and to his horror he saw the source of the crash noise. It was Dante, and he looked pissed. To the normal eye he looked indifferent bordering on happy with his smirk but Issei had spent a whole year training with Dante… he knew when the man was pissed.

"Issei Hyoudou!" Dante's voice boomed as he pointed to him. "It is time! For your training… round two!" Several female students looked excited as they thought that it might mean that they might get another date with the foreign prince of Kuoh.

"What?! I'm sorry sensei but I can't I'm waiting for…"

"I'm also here to pick you up for Rias." Dante bluntly stated causing Issei's face to grow in shock. "Come on… let's get moving." Dante said as he led Issei through the school and towards the old school building.

"Umm… I'm sorry for asking this sensei but… if you're the one fetching me… does that mean you know about…"

"I'm a Grim Reaper, a sub class of devil, that's what you are now and what Rias and the others are." Dante said before opening the doors, leading Issei in.

"Others?" Issei looked around the room Dante lead them to and saw Yuuto Kiba and Koneko Toujou sitting across from each other on red leather couches. Issei couldn't care less about Yuuto who was currently reading a book. " _Damn pretty boy, getting all the girls he wants why does he need to be here._ " Issei attention turned to the petite Koneko who was currently eating chocolate. " _Damn I wish I was that chocolate bar right now… what no!_ " Issei mentally raged as Dante sat down and almost instantly Koneko took her normal place in his lap.

Dante could feel what Issei was thinking and it pissed him off. Clio was always making playful accusations on the two Rooks' relationship. In truth he saw her as a little sister, a far superior one to his real sister who he still considered to be the real devil of the world. Dante watched as Issei's attention switched over from Koneko to the sound of a shower running.

" _Why does this feel like I've seen this this before… oh yeah I have._ " Dante thought as Issei freaked out over the fact that Rias was taking a shower. Then again so did he when she did it in front of him for the first time. "Hey dumbass, its beneath a real man to spy." Issei only then noticed that in fact Dante had not once looked at the shower and when he did he kept his eyes closed.

"I'm sorry sensei… please forgive my weakness… but… that's Rias taking a shower!" Dante just sighed at Issei as Akeno joined them.

"So you're the new guy…" Akeno said as she walked over to Issei. "Don't worry I won't bite. It's nice to meet you." Akeno said with a bow. "Don't worry, everyone here but Dante…"

"Hey!"

"… is super nice. I'm Akeno I'm the vice president."

"Umm… I'm Issei Hyoudou and I promise that I'll get better at not being so awkward."

"Issei!" Dante boomed to his student. "Whatever you do, whatever you were about to think… don't. Don't." Dante warned, the look in his eyes and in Yuuto's own couvade the seriousness of this warning.

"Umm… um… umm." Issei knew what those looks meant, most guys did… it meant over-protective-boyfriend.

"Oh you two worry too much, Minamoto would never hurt poor sweet Issei." Akeno teased but neither Dante or Yuuto lowered their warning gaze. Issei's attention turned from the current trouble to the sound of Rias walking out of the shower but much to his disappointment she was clothed.

"I'm so glad Dante was able to find you, I'm sorry to keep you waiting but…"

"But I didn't have time to use your shower at your place." Dante finished Rias' words for her. "You said the same thing to me when you brought me into this."

"I flattered that would remember that." Rias retorted back as she walked to her desk. "Well now that you've arrived I think that everyone is here. We would like to officially welcome you into the Occult Research Club."

"Uh… thanks." Issei said as he sat down next to Dante and Koneko.

"But you should know that the name of the club is just a front, this is supposed to look like this is some sort of hobby."

"Okay so what is it really?"

"Well since to you asked I'll be frank with you, I'm sure Dante told you that I'm not the only Devil here Issei. We are all Devils, and that winged man from yesterday was something else a Fallen Angel." This once again shocked Issei. "Some think we're the same…" Everyone but Issei turned to Dante.

" _They are never going to let me live that down._ " Dante groaned in his mind.

"… but it isn't true. They want to serve God but it's too late for them. Their dark emotions have forced them into the Underworld. The confusion is understandable because they too walk the earth misguiding humans. But they wish to please God, so their goal is to wipe us Devils out and gain supremacy over our realm. You call it Hell. And of course there's the more recognizable Angels that are clearly sent down by God to defeat us as well. So we're constantly defending ourselves from both sides." Issei tried to follow along but just ended up confused.

"She's trying to say if you meet someone with black or white wings, they will be trying to kill you." Dante said as simply as he could. "Like Yuuma…" That got Issei's attention in full. "… I tried warning you but did you listen, no. And you got yourself killed."

"Where did you hear that name?" Issei mumbled though loud enough for the whole room to hear, his hands trembling at the memories of his and Yuuma's date. "Never mind, I don't want to know. But I trust you Dante…" The Grim Reaper's eyes narrowed, Issei always called him Sensei from the start of their training. "… so… if you know about her… then she must have existed. But then why did Matsuda and Motohama…" A small click went off in Dante's head as he finally learned the names of Issei's friends. "… don't remember anything about her and her number isn't in my phone anymore."

"We can erase human memory." Rias answered.

"And its surprisingly easy to buy the services of a hacker or two when our contracts tend to involve nerds and the like." Dante added on.

"Changing memories usually ends up being the best thing for everyone, including your parents." Issei had a look realization at that last part but snapped out of it at the sound of Dante's laughing.

"So you whamied his parents. That's reminds when Minamoto told me of when he asked why we were sleeping together and he just drenched you when you tried to change his memory. Ha." Dante's intentional sip about the fact that Rias also slept with him caused Issei to fall to the floor crying and also earned him a slight glare from Rias. "What… I thought it was funny and I want share that funny moment with Issei." Dante lied through his teeth. Rias just sighed and returned to the topic at hand.

"Yuuma erased the memory of her existence from the people around you because she thought she accomplished her goal." The mention of Yuuma snapped Issei out of sadness.

"Wait what goal?"

"To kill you of course, but only after she figured out if whether or not there was something within you that was dangerous or threating. Once that was verified, you were stabbed through the middle, with a spear of light."

"That explains the freaky shit she was saying, about god and something sacred."

"Yes you have a Scared Gear." Rias answered before Akeno continued with a explanation.

"It's basically a very intense and unique power that's found in rare few. Not many people have them so your kinda of a big deal."

"The thing is this power can be so uncontrollable that some who have it become a threat to those in the Underworld. Issei…please hold up your left hand."

"Okay but I'm not very good at catch." Issei said as he did what he was told.

"Now…" Dante started. "Close your eyes and think of the part of your body that you feel is the strongest, then focus hard on that strength" On the inside Dante was actually afraid of what might happen do to the wording he was using. "And think carefully."

"Okay… I'm trying…" Issei tried his hardest to focus but his mind kept going back to the morning and then to the fact that Dante had also slept with Rias. And that led to him falling to floor crying again. "I can't do it, I'm a weak soul!"

"Your lack of confidence is your biggest problem… both in this and basically everywhere else in your life." Dante said, he was actually trying to help despite hoe it sounded. "But you're not weak, I high doubt everyone gets it on their first try without a shortcut like I had."

"Wait are you saying you have one of these Sacred things?" Issei said feeling even worse thinking that he once again paled in comparison to his mentor.

"Well it's a bit different, I'm a Grim Reaper. A sub-species of Devil that all have a Sacred Gear but very few of us live long enough to use it. And I had a bit of help in getting mine, so you not being able to use it right away is perfectly understandable and slightly expected."

"Are you sure sensei that this isn't some mistake I mean I'm not that cool."

"You are cool enough to warrant Fallen Angels to come after you. It's not a mistake."

"Yeah and that Fallen Angel put a glowing rod in me and somehow I'm still here. How does that work?" Dante turned back to Rias who was holding up a summoning flyer.

"Do you remember this?" Rias asked.

"Umm… yeah?"

"Just before your life ended you summoned Dante with your thoughts with this flyer."

" _Summoned? I remember thinking about how I failed Dante_."

"… And so that day you were revived and reborn as an honored member of the house of Rias Gremory, daughter of the great and powerful Devil, the marquis of Gremory." In a flash of light Issei saw two bat like wing sprout from Rias' back. "Which means now you are my Devil servant." Rias said with everyone else standing next to her, their own wings popping out. They all looked the same but for Dante's whose own wings were made of bone and looked more like dragon wings but not quite.

"Isn't this so exciting, you're really one of us now." Akeno said just before Issei's own wings grew out form his back.

"We're glad to have you here, welcome Issei." Rias said warmly.

" _Are they for real, I'm a freakin' Devil! So my life as a normal human guy is over?_ "

"The way this works is we grant power to humans for a price we both agree on and seal with a pact. It used to be that people would draw magic circles to summon us but that became to complicated so now we make house calls and personal deliveries."

"It pays the bills, you get a small cut every pact you make." Dante Said as everyone returned back to their work now that most of the intro had been completed.

"Oh… that makes kinda sense." Issei said as he started collecting flyers.

"Ordinarily we'd have a messenger Demon make the run but as a new servant, you need to start at this and work your way up." Rias then leaned in next to Issei. "If you do well you may get to have a few servants of your own to help in any way you like."

"I'm in to that! I want some servants." Issei said as he stood. Dante didn't like where this was going but did like Rias' handling of Issei's weakness to get him to do work.

"Like I said it depends on your efforts."

"Let's say my efforts are awesome…does that mean my servants have to do everything I tell them to." Dante really didn't like this was going.

"That's right." Rias said smiling as she felt Dante's disapproval.

"And their mine so I can do whatever I want them to?"

"Yes."

"You know where I'm going with this… It's Going To Be Sexy Time." The moment he said that he froze in place… literally. Issei watched from behind a thin layer of ice as Dante walked over to him, the look on his face was calm and collected but even frozen Issei knew that he was in trouble.

"It's going to be sexy time… that's what you said right?" Dante said as he stared at the frozen Issei. "I hope that becoming a Devil has not changed you that much. Because what I just heard and the sentiment behind it was something I thought wasn't you." Issei looked back, realizing that this wasn't him being angry but disappointed. He was scolding Issei. "I thought your perversion was simply just the dirt covering the diamond I know you are, but that sounded like you plan on forcing your servants to do things that they might otherwise not want. I am going to unfreeze your month so you can answer one thing. I know what your dream is and honestly… I don't mind… so long as anyone involved with it is not forced against their will to be a part of it. So my question for you is… will they be forced to go along with it?" The ice surrounding Issei's mouth didn't melt but crept back into the rest of the ice.

"No Sensei… I'm not that kind of guy. I'd only choose girls who want to, who agree to do so." Issei answered. Dante stared back for a few minutes that felt like an eternity for Issei before the rest of the ice crept back to the ground and into Dante's hand.

"Good… I know you are telling the truth, but your training shall continue. I need to make you attractive enough to have girls be willing to go along with your dream." Dante slightly joked before backing off, passing by a satisfied Rias. While she had more faith in Issei's judgement in not to do something that wasn't as frown upon in the Devil society as she liked but it was nice to hear it confirmed, even if Dante had to do it a little too harshly for her tastes.

Issei calmed down after getting his mentor's approval and confidence in his character. Issei took as many flyers as he could and ran out of the building hoping to make his sensei proud and to make his first step toward his dream leaving Rias and Dante alone in the clubhouse.

"He's enthusiastic I'll give him that." Dante said as laid back on the other couch. He knew that Rias was upset with how he had been behaving and was ready for anything she might do.

"I never thought that would get so jealous over Issei." Rias said calmly as she walked back to her desk to enjoy the tea that Akeno had left her before starting her contract work.

"I am not jealous… I'm just giving him a hard time to help prepare him for what's coming "

"You've been aggravated all day, was me spending the night with Issei really that much of a problem to you?"

"No… I'm sure the kid enjoyed it. He deserves something good after getting killed, even if he ignored my warning."

"Yes I'm sure he did enjoy it… but are you saying you don't?"

"You trapping me!" Dante said as he sat back up. "I can't answer that because if I say no you'll use that to get back in bed with me…"

"I thought that matter was resolved with our chess match."

"… And if I say yes then… then… well I would be lying and it would be rude to something like that." Dante laid back down, still angry but not because of the current topic. "I'm not jealous… I just feel like it's my fault. I know in my head that this was avoidable because of his Sacred Gear but I still feel responsible. I chose this life but him… he was forced to. I just feel like I've taken away whatever life he may have had. I just feel responsible for him and…" Dante stopped talking when Rias fell on him and he even blushed a bit at her hug.

"You're such a good person… but sometimes you have an awful way of showing it." Rias' voice was slightly muffled by Dante chest.

"Um… thanks… wait…" Dante's train of thought switched over from confused joy to intense worry when he saw one of Akeno's familiars floating above them. "We are in a load of trouble."

Issei had just left after giving a report on the latest attack on him by the Fallen Angels. Rias and Dante were happy that he had unlocked his Sacred Gear but now things were going to get dicey. The Fallen Angels clearly had an interest in him and were also were showing up in the town in numbers.

"They have to be planning something here, three Fallen Angels come to this town that is well known as a territory of the Gremory house can't be coincidence." Dante said as he threw a dart of ice to a frozen board on the wall.

"It does seem strange… the peace between the Three Factions isn't exactly stable but I doubt that the Fallen Angels are here to stage an attack." Rias mused out loud before taking a sip of tea. "But whatever they are doing so long as they understand that I will not allow them to hunt my servants I don't care what they do."

* * *

The next morning.

" _Now that's what I'm talkin' about! Smoking hot chick!_ " Issei thought as he stared at the blond girl in the nun outfit. " _Smoking hot panty shot… wait… no! I promised to myself in the name of my sensei I would do better_." Issei thought as he decided to help the girl up. "Hey there, are you all right?"

"Oh… yeah I'm okay really." The girl said as Issei helped her up. "Oh thank you." The girl said as her shawl blew off in the wind.

" _Jack pot! This girl is totally my type_." Issei thought as he picked up the girl's shawl. " _Blond and… no! I must hold true to my training. Sensei Dante I will make you proud of me! I swear it! So that one day… the training you have given me will get me my own harem!_ " Issei thought as he handed the nun's shawl back.

"That was very sweet of you."

"Please, it was nothing." Issei said rubbing the back of his head. " _Okay… time to put that training to good use… first… understand the current situation that the target is in!_ " Issei repeated the drills Dante had burnt into his brain. "So I haven't seen you around town before, you a tourist or something?"

"Oh not at all, in fact I was assigned to serve the church in this town but… I'm afraid I'm a bit lost. I'm supposed to meet a guide but he's not here. Can you… can you help me out?" The girl said with a very visible blush.

" _Yes! I didn't sound like a complete moron and she's wants me to help her! Thank you Sensei Dante, I'll never go against your teachings ever again._ " Issei thought while trying to hold back tears of happiness. "Oh sure no problem." Issei said before starting to lead the girl toward the only church in town. "So you're a nun then? That explains the outfit." Issei said trying to continue the conversion and to avoid falling in to awkward silence.

"I'm so glad that I ran into someone kind like you. I guess someone is looking out for me huh."

"Yeah…" Issei then noticed the cross on her chest and for some reason it made him feel uneasy.

"Is everything okay?" The girl said looking concerned.

"Oh yeah… it's all good." Issei said trying not to scare her off. " _What in the heck was that? Come on, don't choke now. I'm doing so well._ " Issei's thoughts were interrupted by the sound of crying child. The girl quickly ran over to help the young boy while Issei just watched, unsure of what to do.

"A big boy like you shouldn't cry over a scrape." The nun said as she gently rubbed the boy's head. "Don't worry, you're going to be fine." Issei watched quietly as she healed the scrapped knee in a green glow from her hands. Then something in his left hand hurt. Issei just looked over at his hand, giving it a careful look before returning to the girl. It was something to ask Rias and Dante later but right now… he had a mission… impress the girl. "You see, there's no reason for you to cry at all. Your just fine. All done now… sorry." She said after turning back to Issei. The two continued to walk towards the church, Issei was slightly worried about the pain but put it in the back of his mind. "You must be surprised."

"Uh no, no not at all. That sure is a nifty power you got there though."

"Thank you I consider it a gift and a blessing." The girl said smiling before turning forward with a slightly sadder tone. "Truly… it's wonderful." Before Issei could question just what she meant by that he found himself pinned to the ground by a man with the classic solider for hire look. Large combat boots, black cargo pants with sevreal knifes strapped to his thigh, gray tight t-shirt with pocket belt across his chest, rifle across his back, white combed back hair, and the lower half of his face covered in a skull bandana.

"Are you okay mam? Has this boy harmed you in any way?" The man asked the girl who just looked shocked.

"Mr. Uberti! How could you?! He was just showing me the way!" The girl yelled in shock to her bodyguard. Farinata Uberti looked down at the gasping teen boy, his eyes narrowed as he tried to get a read on the boy.

"Are you sure mam? He seems a bit… stretchy."

"I am quite sure Mr. Uberti, he has been nothing but a gentleman."

"Very well mam." The bodyguard let Issei go only for him to scurry away and to hide behind the girl.

"So that's your guide that didn't show up."

"Oh yes, I'm sorry for Mr. Uberti's behavior but he's just doing his job. Thank you for leading me this far, I must thank you properly for helping me… would it be a problem for you come inside with me?" Issei was about to agree but then with one look at the church he suddenly got the worst case of the goose bumps he ever had in his life.

"Um, I'm sorry but I can't. the thing is I have somewhere to be."

"Oaky… Mr. Uberti can lead me the rest of the way anyways but it was sweet of you to help me find my way even though I was supposed to have help." She said as she shot a glare at the bodyguard who was doing his best to ignore it. "My name is Asia Argento."

"And my name is Issei Hyoudou, you are very welcome."

"Issei huh, well meeting you was a blessing, and it's one I'm sure I won't forget. I hope we see each other again."

"Yeah me to." Issei said as he rubbed the back of his head.

"Mam…" The bodyguard interrupted. "… we have an appointment to keep."

"Well then maybe you should have shown up on time." Issei thought it looked so cute the way she tried to shame the older man when it was clear she didn't really have any real malice to it. "So Issei, if your ever bored or in the neighborhood come by the church, that's where I'll be." She said before bowing and starting to follow her bodyguard as he led her

" _I think she's the nicest girl I've ever met._ " Issei thought as he waved goodbye.

* * *

Later that day, after Issei told Rias and Dante what happened.

"You must never…" Rias started.

"Hold that thought." Dante interrupted. "Issei… did you follow my training when you talked to this girl?"

"Yes sir I did!" Issei said in the same way a solider would.

"And did they help?"

"Yes sir they did! Without them I would have looked like a complete dumbass sir!"

"Well done my student!" Dante boomed, the happiness and pride in his voice could be easily felt. "You have made your mentor proud today, you are well on your way to one day having girls claw their way to your side. Good job."

"Thank you sensei." Issei said with waterfall tears in his eyes. "I won't let you down."

"If you two are done can I continue." Rias said clearly irritated.

"Um… yeah… I think we're done." Dante said ignoring the worried look on Issei's face before backing away.

"As I was saying, you must never go near the church again Issei."

"Why?"

"For devils like us the church is enemy territory. Simply setting foot inside would create majoy problems for both Angels and Devils."

"What about that time I saved you from Conquest?" Dante asked as he had yet to leave.

"That was different, the Horsemen tend to make everyone worried and everyone would rather just forget the whole thing."

"Umm I think I'm missing something." Issei said looking back and forth from the two elder Devils.

"One time, the Horsemen of the Apocalypse kidnapped Rias but yours truly saved her." Dante said but on the inside he was still feeling guilt as he was the main cause of that incident.

"Wow… your so cool sensei."

"Issei." Rias said bringing back Issei's attention to her. "Surly you could sense that something was telling you to be careful."

"Oh that's what it was… when I went near the church my hand was acting up."

"That was your devil instincts telling you danger was near. Being in close proximity to somebody from the church is a very risky proposition also what's even more dangerous is that some of the Exorcists have Sacred Gears, they could really hurt you."

"All in all don't be stupid, your one of us now and that means a lot. This little group is like family. We don't want you to get hurt." Dante said joining in. "And there is a reason they are called Exorcists. Because they can bring us to nothing more than a husk of our former selves. So just be careful."

* * *

Later that day.

Rias' peerage appeared out a of a teleportation magic circle. They had been contacted to take care of a Stray Devil and started walking to the manor that the Stray was hiding out in.

"Hello! We've come to kill you!" Dante jokingly yelled out as he kicked the door down.

"You really like kicking doors don't you?" Koneko bluntly asked her fellow Rook.

"How else would I appear badass?" Dante said as Issei wrote down notes on the subject.

"Issei, are you familiar with the game of chess?" Rias asked as the Peerage made their way in.

"Yeah… Sensei made me play it but I was never any good at it."

"As the master, I'm the King. My empress, the Queen. My cavalier, the Knight. My tank, the Rook. My clergymen, my Bishop. My foot soldier, my Pawn. Devil with titles and nobility grant the characteristics of these pieces to each one of their servants."

"That sounds kick a."

"We have a special name for them, we call them our Evil Pieces."

"Sorry but why are you telling me this?" Issei asked as they all looked out for any movement.

"I need you to watch and learn, pay close attention to my Devils as they do battle."

"Umm… okay." Issei said before Koneko said that the Stray had showed up.

"Now what could that foul facial smell be…" A slightly feminine voice said as it drew closer. "And something smells quite delicious as well… but it's so cold." The owner of the voice said as she… it… came out from behind a pillar.

"I see big boobies!" Issei squeaked as he stared at the large breasts on the Stray Devil before being smacked by Dante.

"Vizer you wretch. You betrayed your master and ran away to fulfill your lustful wants and desires that have consumed you. You deserve nothing less than a thousand hells. In the name of the great House of Gremory, be gone or meet your death!" Rias' speech seemed to unfaze the Stray.

"Oh give it a rest you little slut, you have always had it in for me. your just… arg!" The stray screamed as Dante's ice shards pierced her chest and shoulder.

"Can we please stop asking them to stand down… they never do." Dante said as he lazily spun a ring of ice in his hand.

"Hey I'd you do that? She doesn't… seem… so bad?" Issei was unable to complete his thoughts as he looked on at the huge raging mutant human centaur like Devil.

"See what I was talking about how this always ends in ugliness." Yuuto commented as he dodged a crashing blow from the hand like leg of the Stray. Issei then watched as Yuuto vanished in to air.

"Whoa… he just vanished." Issei said as he stood back up.

"No… he's just moving fast. In this game he's my Knight. His attribute is speed, and his ultimate attack is his sword." Rias said as they watched as Yuuto cut of the Stray's actual arms. The Stray screamed in rage again as a gaping maw opened in her torso and quickly ate Koneko.

"Koneko watch out!" Issei yelled but the young girl just ignored him as she let herself get eaten.

"It's all right" Rias said confidently as the maw opened form Koneko's superhuman strength. "In the game, she and Dante are my Rooks. Their attribute is simple. They have undeniable strength. That won't even put a dent in her."

"Hey Dante catch." Koneko flatly said as she smashed the teeth of the maw and caused the Stray to fly towards Dante who using his scythe cut off two of the Stray's legs midair.

"And that just confirms what I already knew… never piss them off." Issei said quietly to himself.

"Akeno." Rias said to her Queen.

"Oh is it my turn? How exciting, I so love this game." Akeno happily said as she walked over to the Stray. Rias turned back at the sound of Dante freezing one of the cut off limbs.

"Damn things are frisky." Dante joked as he finished up and walked over to the King and Issei. "But I'm sure Issei here could handle even the left overs." Dante said giving a hard pat on the back to said pervert.

"Akeno… finish her off please."

"I got news for you… your not the only one who like to play rough here. So lets you and I have some fun." Akeno said as sparks shot from between her hands.

"Akeno is my Queen, her attributes are a perfect combo of all the others. She's simply unbeatable." Rias watched as Akeno prepared the final move.

"Tough girl, not ready to give up yet? Goddie I get to play some more." Akeno excitedly said as she shot down sevreal bolts of lightning on the Stray.

"Her weapon is a dark magical power and that's not all…"

"This violence, its making me so hot."

"… She's really into S and M." Rias said to a shocked Issei and a slightly worried looking Dante as they watched Akeno continue her attack that at this point was getting to be overkill.

"You mean she gets off on this?" Issei asked.

"Akeno I think that's enough."

"Aww… done already?" Akeno asked disappointed. "I was just starting to enjoy myself."

" _I'm so happy for Minamoto that his body is nothing more than a meat puppet because if that wasn't the case… I'd be a bit worried._ " Dante thought as he walked over to the charred but still alive body. "Okay… you're done. Any last comments before I give you over to Lord Death?" Dante asked as he put the blade of his scythe under the neck of the Stray.

"Go to hell."

"How very original. In the name of Lord Death I grant you the last gift of life, its end." Dante prayed before pulling up on his scythe and slicing clean through the Stray neck.

"Um… what did sensei just mumble about?" Issei asked as he turned to Rias.

"Dante is a Grim Reaper, as such he must perform certain rites everyday to Lord Death. Lord Death is the first god of Death and is the common ancestor of all Grim Reapers. They all must prey to him or they will loss his favor and a very real death will often follow. This tends to cause Grim Reapers to deify him even further, Dante is actually quite devout."

"I never pegged him for the religious type." Issei said as he watched Dante cover the rest of the body in ice before shattering it into millions of pieces.

"All right… fun's over. Like all get back home." Dante said as he retracted his scythe.

"Wait a moment… what about me?" Issei asked pointing to himself. "What piece am I? I just want to know how I fit in, I'm I a Knight or something badass like that?"

"You're a pawn." Rias said before starting to walk out with Akeno right behind her.

"But I don't want to be a Pawn." The pawn said.

"Well… I'm sorry but that's what you are."

"What… but that blows." Issei said completely disappointed in himself. " _Chicks do not dig Pawns_!"

* * *

Author's Notes.

 **[I'm keeping the AN in this chapter, the review replies for the former chapter five is back on the new chapter five, I'm sorry to everyone for the inconvenience.]**

If anyone wondered why I never really gave Issei all much attention in the Prolog chapters it's because I find him very hard to write. My own mind set is more in line with Dante, and so it's rather hard for me to… think… like Issei. If I have the canon to work around, then it helps but doing original scenes with him is hard. I also have to give credit where it is due, Issei's line about how he wouldn't rape his servants is from Cybertramon001 's story Ben DxD, its pretty good, I've gotten through half and I'm not complaining. I just felt that line was needed and I felt it was best put in that story.

If you all want to know where Asia's bodyguard is from, he's from Dante's Inferno. Hersey doesn't have a boss so I took its punish/absolve guy and it kinda fit. So that's who that guy is, and by the way… I didn't plan on his name being so close to Uberto it just sorta happened. Don't worry… I have sevreal jokes locked and loaded for it. Heh heh heh.

Reviews

Ichigo sasashi- thank you very much and I an currently looking for a Bata.


	7. Chapter 7

Author's notes.

Sorry to everyone for taking so long. And happy Thanksgiving, I am thankful for all of you and for Steam, twenty three games for under fifty bucks!

And also I'm sorry about the whole mess that was the last two chapters, if you have anything to say about the new chapter five please tell me, I live for feed back.

* * *

He hadn't felt this jumpy since that job in the Congo, and that involved three different African Warlords hunting him and his squad down. Farinata Uberti sat back in the tree he had perched himself in while his charge and that freaky priest Freed. Uberti was currently waiting for any scream from Asia, he didn't trust that freak even if he was some kind of priest.

Uberti didn't even believed in any kind of god let alone the afterlife, but the check had gone through and he would protect the nun from any threats as his contract stated. Why anyone would attack the young girl was beyond him but something about this job just made him uneasy. Frist was the charge, Asia Argento. She was a sweet girl and aide from her naivety he could tell she was a good person… unlike every single other person he had met on this job.

Freed was just a freak and psycho, how he ever became a priest of anything was more than likely a story that would scar even a hardened mercenary like himself. Uberti shivered at the thought of it. Then there were those others at the church, the three so called Fallen Angles, more like cheap magicians who take dramatics was too far. The head psycho, Raynare… he had never met a colder bitch than her. And hoped that he would never after this job was done.

The sound of a bike approaching the house his charge was in snapped Uberti out of his thoughts. To his surprise it was that kid from the earlier.

" _What is he doing here_?" Uberti thought as he followed the boy's head with the scope of his rifle. He watched aa the kid walked into the house and soon silently dropped down to follow. Uberti quietly walked through the house and the next thing he saw… it was hard to put to words. " _That psycho priest has a laser sword… what the fuck?_ " Uberti thought as he watched Freed jump at the kid with a gun in one hand and a white beam of light ending in a hilt in his other hand. The kid jumped away before the sword actually hit him but got hit in the leg by the shot Freed fired after.

"These bullets have been blessed by an exorcist. Hope they taste good scumbag!" Freed shouted happily as he watched the kid squirm in pain.

" _What the hell does that have to do with anything? Lead hurts whether its been blessed or not._ " Uberti grunted in his head before rising an eyebrow at the red gantlet that suddenly appeared on the kid's arm. " _Okay… don't know how to explain that._ "

"Ooo… is the Devil angry? Maybe it's time for Freed Sellzen to send you back to the Abyss from whence you came!" The kid charged at the priest who just stepped back. "Too slow." Freed said before cutting the kid's back. Blood spilling out of the wound as he fell back to the ground. "Get a guy all worked up and leave him half cocked? That;s no way for a lady to treat a gentleman like myself." Just before Uberti was about to step in he and the other two men turned when they heard a scream. "What the hell… Asia, what are you doing here? Are you done creating the barrier already?" Asia didn't even register Freed's voice as she stared at the corpse that lay dead in the room. To be honest, Uberti didn't even notice it until now, he had been to distracted by the fight… if it could be called that.

"Don't… Don't do this." Asia whimpered out, her hands and voice still trembling.

"Right… newbie! Well I guess its time you learned. This is what the job is, my dear…we dispose of unfortunate people who have been bewitched by the evil Devils." The psycho priest explained this, it fit within what Uberti expected of the man to justify his bloodlust. It was at that point Asia noticed the kid.

"No… it can't be."

"Asia… I…"

"Wait… what's going on? Do you two know each other?" Freed said looking a bit confused for the first time ever since Uberti met the man.

"Issei, why are you here?" The kid just looked back for a moment, clearly he wasn't expecting this but Uberti didn't understand exactly what was wrong… other than he was likely about to be murdered.

"I'm here… because… I'm a Devil, Asia." The kid said looking away.

" _Okay maybe the kid is as crazy as the rest of them_."

"No… that can't be true."

" _Because it isn't_." Uberti groaned in his head.

"I didn't want to lie to you…I swear that I didn't… that's why I decided it was best not to see you again. Please forgive me."

"Oh heavens…"

"Not that this isn't heartwarming… but you and your friend here have no business being together. The Fallen Angels of expressly forbidden all forms of contact between our kind and their that don't end in us chopping them up into bit and pieces. Have you forgotten that already? Now then… shall we do what we came here to do?" Freed said as he put the blade of his sword up to the kid's neck. "Not that it matters much but I hope you've said all your prayers!" Freed said as he readied his last swing but the girl quickly ran in the way, her arms outstretched in an effort to protected the boy. "You got to be kidding me with this?"

"Please don't, I beg you for mercy. Forgive this man his sins, couldn't we just let him go?" Asia said with tears in her eyes. Uberti could tell where this was going and silently put his rifle on his back to grab his shotgun on his leg, in these cramp spaces it was going to be a lot more effective.

"That thing isn't a man, it's a devil. You made a pledge to defeat our enemies!"

"It doesn't matter what he is… there's goodness in him, I know it! You can't just kill him. How can you think God would approve?!"

"Enough of this bullshit!" Freed yelled before taking a swing, cutting open the girl's top. She quickly went to cover herself and the boy tried to stand up to make for another attempt on Freed but stopped when he saw Uberti's shotgun inches from Freed's head.

"And with that… you enter into my territory." Uberti said, under the calm and cool surface he was jumping for joy to finally have the excuse to put this mad dog down.

"Mr. Uberti…" Freed smirked as he turned his head enough to eye the mercenary. "… exactly what are you doing?"

"My contract states that I'm to protect this girl from any harm that may come her way. What you did definitely counts as harm." Uberti said before pulling his gun's trigger, making sure to angle it a bit up to avoid accidently hitting one of the kids. It was only his highly honed reflexes that he was able to block the sword with his own combat knife. "Well aren't you a fast one." Uberti said as looked down at the squatting priest.

"I would have gone with a better line than the crap you pulled." Freed joked as he pushed forward his blade followed by a few shot, all of which the mercenary dodged with a roll back behind the nearby sofa. "Maybe something like your head goes bye bye now." Freed said as he quickly moved away from the slugs fired from Uberti's shotgun. Uberti was about to make his next move when he saw Freed hold the girl up on the wall with his sword and his gun to her head. "Her head goes bye bye if you move. See… that's how you do that." Uberti growled as he moved back behind the sofa. He mentally rebuilt the room they were currently in and tried to figure out a plausible exit strategy… they all involved his shooting that bastard's head off. The sounds the girl was making in the freak's captivity were… aggravating to say the least. But Uberti's luck came through at the sound of a fist hitting someone's face and when he peered over the sofa he saw the freak on the floor and the kid standing. Seeing his chance Uberti jumped over the sofa and over the priest (more like stepped on) and grabbed the girl and ran out the house just as a red light started shining at the back of the room. He wasn't going to stick around for anymore weirdness.

"Asia!" Issei yelled as her bodyguard ran off with her.

"Well damn… looks like I'm going to have to punish them later…" Freed smiled as he turned back to Issei. "But that doesn't mean I can't punish you now!" He yelled as he lunged forward to Issei only to be blocked by a sword wielding Yuuto who appeared out of a red magic circle.

"Kiba?" Issei said in confusion as he looked up to see his fellow devil.

"Hey Issei, thought you could use a hand." Yuuto said calmly as Freed struggled to push forward on the Knight.

"Oh this is gross…" Akeno said as she followed Yuuto out of the magic circle. "Talk about a nasty mess."

"And… there's a an exorcist… just our luck." Dante groaned as he walked out with his scythe rest on his shoulders.

"What did you expect… the perv went out on a job." Koneko said as she followed her fellow Rook.

"You do have a point."

"Hey!" Issei yelled irritated at the comments of the other members of his peerage.

"Hell yeah!" Freed yelled as he jumped back. "Now we have ourselves a good ole' fashion gangbang."

"Your done here." Yuuto countered. "Sorry to disappoint but he's one of us."

"Oh I'm far from disappointed, trust me. So… what's the deal? You're the pitcher and he's the catcher?"

"For a priest, that's quite a mouth you've got there."

"Why?" Dante said honestly confused. "What did I miss something, did he say something dirty?"

"Really kid?" Freed said with slight irritation. "How dense do you have to be to not get that one. And you… I don't see any church robes so you can't be the impiety police. Get off you high house douche bag; hunting your kind is my only concern. So stop preaching and let's get to it!"

"My my, this guy certainly is a piece of work." Akeno said with a slight scowl, he reminded her far too much of Famine.

"And you, my dear, are a hot piece of ass!" Freed said not hiding the lust on his face. "Oh those eye's are killing me. There's nothing I lust after more than a sexy devil bitch!"

"If you want it come and get some." Freed heard before being blasted back. Issei looked up and saw Rias with sparks of her power flashing between her fingers. "But I really don't think you can handle it. Nobody hurts one of my servants."

"Well…" Freed started as he sat back up. "Look who finally showed their tits… don't get ahead of yourself though, cause I'm pretty sure I just hurt him." Freed mocked.

"Well look at the shit you've gotten into." Dante said as he stepped over to Issei to help him up. "But considering this is your first real fight, I'd say you did great." Dante said as he pulled Issei up, letting the pawn use him to help stand.

"Thanks a lot… but I'm sorry I let you and the president down again. I tried but I failed you two."

"Look at how hurt you are." The next thing Issei knew Rias' hand was on his check. He looked up to see Rias standing in front of him and Dante with a worried look on her face. "I'm the one who's sorry. I sent you into the hands of an exorcist, and I had no idea."

"All we got from this place was static until a few moments ago." Dante informed.

"I never forgive people who try to do harm to one of my servants. Nor do I forgive those who pick on the weak like you did to that girl. And I especially don't tolerate insidious wretches like you… your terrible evil has no place in this world. That's why I'm here; to purge it." Rias said as her power sparked to life around her.

"Well shit… big red might be a problem. I might need some backup.' As he said that a swirling vortex of energy began opening up behind him.

"Fallen Angels are here." Koneko warned the others, a little upset that she didn't get to throw anything at the moron.

"Just in the nick of time too! Hope you're hungry because Light spears are on the menu!" Freed laughed as the vortex got bigger.

"What's the plan here?" Akeno asked as she turned back to her King.

"Right now we just need to get Issei out of here. Akeno prepare to jump."

"Right." Akeno said as she prepared the magic circle.

* * *

Uberti laid the girl down on the bed that he had been using for the last few days while here in this town. It wasn't that bad of a motel, he had seen far worse. After pulling the blanket over the girl he walked over to the window, he checked to see if anyone might be watching the place. It seemed like he had given that bastard Freed the slip.

Uberti sighed, this job was really not worth it. The cash was good, hell… it was enough to retire on. Which is why he had looked passed all the stupid religious crap that was involved with this job so far. He jumped a bit when he heard a noise but realized it was just his phone.

"I got to get a softer ringtone…" Uberti mumbled as he pulled out said phone, it was the man who hired him. "Hello… yeah… just like you said… double? Yeah… I could work with that."

* * *

"Good, I'll be sure to send the money to the normal account." Azazel said before hanging up. "Right now, that girl Raynare must be tearing her hair out, having lost such a valuable asset." Azazel slightly laughed.

* * *

Issei did his hardest to look away from the raging inferno that Dante. He didn't look like he was mad… but he was. He knew it by the fact even when he was in the hot shower with Rias, a moment that he will remember for the rest of his life, it was still cold as ice. And it didn't get much better when he left.

"Dante… can you… please… stop… with whatever… you're doing right now?" Yuuto asked, his voice broken up by his shivering. Everyone in the room agreed with a collective glare at the Grim Reaper. With a slight grumble Dante attempted to calm himself down. The temperature in the room did rise to acceptable levels but not nearly comfortable ones.

"Thank you, Dante." Rias said as she stepped out of the shower. "And really don't understand why you have to so jealous of poor little Issei here, you know you're always going to be my favorite servant." Issei for a moment thought about teasing his Sensei but then remembered exactly what his Sensei was capable of doing when angered.

"I am not jealous of him." The sound of Dante's teeth grinding did not help his claim. "I'm just mad that the Fallen Angels are walking around our town like they own it." While Rias knew that wasn't the whole truth, what Dante said did upset her as well. "And now they are even bring in their pets."

"Yes, the fact that they would be so bold as to bring stray exorcists is troubling."

"Um… what does stray exorcist mean?" Issei asked, he didn't like the idea that Asia might in fact be working for the Fallen Angels.

"A ton of them got the boot form the church." Yuuto informed. "And for lack of better options many became the servants of the Fallen Angels."

"Wait… you can't actually say that Asia is in the same camp as that Freed dick?"

"Unlikely…" Dante mused outload. "… it's possible that something happened to her and she simply had nowhere else to turn to. I wouldn't say that she's happy in her lot in life like Freed is."

"Well for whatever reason, she is a servant of a fallen one and you are a Devil. Those are the facts Issei." Rias said this but it didn't really penetrate into Issei's head like she hoped it would.

* * *

Uberti looked down at the small note the girl had left behind on the perfectly made bed. It was nice and filled with mostly _I'm Sorry_. The girl had run off looking for that kid… Issei. His employer expected this and had told him to simply find and watch.

About… three hours later… things started going downhill.

He was able to find the girl quick enough, she was with the kid again. But this time his orders were to simply watch. And so he did. The two went what could only be described as the most adorable high school date ever. If he was being honest, Uberti had developed a small amount of respect for the kid by the end. At first he thought he was just another teenage boy with no control what so ever. But he behaved well during the whole date.

Things only started going to shit when that bitch Raynare showed up.

"Isn't that sweet?" Raynare said announcing her presence to the two teens and from the looks on their faces, it wasn't a pleasant surprise.

"Crap… it's Yuma."

"Lady Raynare.'

"Right… she's a Fallen Angel." Uberti watched as they exchanged glares, the boy's had a bit more fire than his charge's did but that was expected.

"So the rumors about your downward spiral into the wickedness of Devildom are true. And I had such high hopes for you." Uberti honestly couldn't tell to which one she was speaking about. "Don't even try to run Asia."

"Be gone… I want no part of the evil you and the others are up to. After I woke in Mr. Uberti's room I decided that I didn't want anything to do with such awful people. I'm sorry but I couldn't stand to be around them any more."

"Don't apologize. I'm glad. Your too good for them…" Issei started.

" _I knew that the moment I meet them…_ " Uberti thought frankly, it was clear the kind of people they were and even more so the longer he was around them.

"…You don't belong with a bunch of good-for-nothing-has-been-wanna-be-bastards anyways! What do you from me Yuma?!" The woman seemed to chuckle at the thought.

"Oh don't worry, my business has nothing to do with you little boy. Though I guess we could finish what we started, couldn't we? Let's… have… fun." The woman said as she formed a spear of light in her hand. Uberti just watched with increasing unease. He was going have to deal with Raynare's freaky weapons. But just as he was about to move the small pond that Raynare was standing on froze over and huge skeletons of ice jutted towards her but she quickly dodged them by flying into the sky. "What the hell!"

"Sorry I'm so late." Uberti looked over to see another teen boy walk out form the trees nearby, this one had short black hair, lean muscular body and was resting a massive scythe like weapon on his shoulders. "Now talk about rude. Issei here finally gets a good proper girl to agree to go on a date with him and what do you go and do… interrupt them and bring up such bad memories."

"Hmm… and just who are you." Raynare said with smile, clearly much more honest in intent than the one she gave Issei.

"I am Dante Alighieri, Rook in the service of Rias Gremory." Dante turned back to Issei and Asia. "You two okay?"

"Yeah… what are you doing here?" Issei asked, not that he wasn't happy to see Dante but it felt a bit convenient.

"I saw you two earlier and wanted to make sure that something like this didn't happen." Dante lied, he had seen them during their date and wanted to make sure the Issei was following his teachings.

" _What the hell? I never noticed that kid following them._ " Uberti grumbled, he needed to sharpen his skills if some kid could go unnoticed by him.

"I assume that you aren't going to just leave these two alone?" Dante asked Raynare, his eye's scanning the area for any possible advantages.

"Not even close… your just another piece of Devil trash." Raynare growled out before throwing her spear of light only for it to be blocked by a wall of ice Dante put up with his free hand. Raynare flew around wall and tackled Dante to the ground, holding a newly formed spear of light to his throat.

"Dante! Alright I'm not sitting on the sidelines anymore, Sacred Gear!" Issei yelled out as his Sacred Gear formed on his hand, though Issei confidence took a hit when he heard Raynare's laugh.

"That's all you got, it's nothing but a twice critical. That thing only doubles your power temporally. Poor Issei, coming up short once again."

"That's not a very nice thing to say to a guy when he's so early in his romantic career." Raynare was shocked to see Dante standing behind Issei and Asia, she then looked back down to what she had been holding down and saw that it was nothing but an ice replica of Dante. "Don't worry buddy, that thing on your arm is a lot more than what she's letting on. But now's not the time to try and show off." Dante said before focusing back on Raynare. "You know, you really are the kind of woman I hate, egoistical, possessive, manipulative… you do so remind me of my Succubus ex."

"How dare you compare me to those sluts!" Raynare raged as she sent two more spears at the group. Another wall of ice caught the two spears in place, Dante shattered the walls causing shards of ice to fly through the air to Raynare. It wasn't his plan to actually hit the Fallen Angel but just to get her focus off him for a moment. The next time Raynare was able to see Dante he was flying next to her with a Iron crown around his head. It was only due to years of training that she was able to move far enough for the incoming blade to only cut a shallow wound. The second the blade made contact though, the skeletons that decorated the blade screamed to life and quickly began tearing away at bands of light that circled the wound. Raynare disengaged and landed away from the group of devils. Her eye's fearful at the sight of the wound on her stomach. "That was…"

"The Blade of Finality, it's so nice of you to wear so little. It really helps." Dante joked as a small bit of blood started dripping down from Raynare's cut. "That will never heal, even magic will ever close the wound. At most you might be able to stich it up." Every word just made Raynare's rage grow.

" _How dare this little Devil ruin my flawless skin! But no matter, the nun's Twilight Healing can certainly heal this._ " At that Raynare's focus shifted back on to said nun. " _I'm not going to be able to take her with this punk here, and there's still that human back in the wood… he actually has some skill and could tip the balance in this fight… little Issei might even make a difference if that Sacred Gear boosts his power enough. As much as I hate to admit it but I need to regroup and try again when I have numbers on my side._ " At that Raynare's posture relaxed. "Well it seems that I'm beaten." Raynare joked as the spear of light in her hands faded away. Both Issei and Asia were shocked while Dante Uberti narrowed their eye's in suspicion.

"Does that mean you and the rest of the Fallen Angels are leaving?" Dante asked even though he knew the answer.

"Fuck no." Raynare chuckled. "I said I'm beaten… but that doesn't mean I'm giving up." Raynare said before her wings extended out in preparation for flight. "Now more than ever I need that girl power thanks to you. And it will be mine, I guarantee that." Raynare said before flying off. Dante just glared at the Fallen Angel as she disappeared in the sky before turning back to the other two teens.

"Well it looks like we have our work cut out for us, come on. Let's head back to the clubhouse and see what we can do." Issei just nodded in agreement and gave a look of assurance to Asia. Uberti just kept a eye on the three, things were getting far to interesting for his tastes and these kids seemed to be handling it far better than even he was. His head was telling him call up his employer and demand that he get the original payment and be done with this… but his gut told him to stick it out. Uberti sighed, the lessons of his old drill sergeant still rung in his head, _Follow your gut, that's the part of your body that will get you killed but will also led you down the right path. And when it comes down to it, it's better to die knowing you did right by you than live with regrets_.

* * *

Asia winced at the sound of Rias slapping both Dante and Issei.

"Let me try this one time, if I say don't then don't. It goes for both of you." Rias said to the two boys standing in front of her. "That being said… I feel that you two did a good job in handling the situation." The look of shock and relief on both of the boy's face's was clear. "Issei I'm proud of you for standing up for yourself and Asia. And Dante, you did an excellent job of representing the power of the Gremory house." Rias said before returning to her desk and Dante and Issei to the couches. Dante leaning back the end with Koneko taking her normal spot on his lap and Issei sitting next to Asia.

"So what's going to happen to Asia now?" Issei asked clearly concerned about the girl's safety, and yet at the same time never noticing the slight blush on said girl's face.

"That depends if she signed any formal pact with the Fallen Angels." Rias said looking to Asia for an answer.

"Umm… well… they told me to sign one but I never actually got around to doing it." Asia said while playing with her fingers nervously, it was a confusing yet fortunate that her tendency to forget important things like that saved her.

"Well then that's good because then the Fallen Angels have no real case if they tried taking this to their superiors." Rias said happy that this whole thing wouldn't become any bigger than it had to be.

"I think we're forgetting the biggest factor in all of this." Dante announced drawing all eyes to him. "Asia… what is it that you what out of this mess we have found ourselves in?" Then all eyes turned back to Asia who face turned even redder, both form the attention and her answer to the question.

"Umm… if it's at all possible… I would like to stay with Issei… oh and the rest of you!" Asia finished her answer in an attempt to cover up her real reason. "I mean you've all been so kind and…" She continued to mumble about the rest of them but by that point everyone but Issei had figured out her reason.

"Then you're in luck, because I think there's a way I can grant that very wish." Rias said as she walked over to Asia. "But I have to warn you, once you accept this there is no turning back." Rias said as she held out one of her Evil Pieces for Asia to take. "You can become a Devil and join me and my peerage." Asia took the Bishop piece and after looking around the room at the friendly smiles and Dante mouthing the words _It's so worth it_ , she looked to Issei and knew what her answer was. She placed the piece t her chest and after a slight glow fell over on to Issei's lap unconscious.

"Wow Issei, looks like you got a keeper there." Dante joked causing Issei to babble out excuses but this just made everyone laugh. "Joking at Issei's expense aside, what are we going to do about the Fallen Angels?" Dante looking back to his King.

"Now that Asia is one of us, they'll back off… right?" Issei asked hopefully only to be met with a saddened look from Rias.

"It's unlikely, maybe some of Raynare's followers might leave but the majority will want to take vengeance for the loss of her." Rias answered before turning her head to the sound of the door opening. They all followed their King's led and saw Akeno walk in with Asia's bodyguard behind her. Issei froze when Uberti's gaze landed on the sight of Asia out cold and Issei's lap.

" _I'm so dead_." That was the only thing Issei could think.

"I'm going to assume you have a good reason why my charge is in the state she's in." Uberti said in a cold and uncaring way that just made Issei even for terrified.

"She's just out cold because she just accepted my Bishop piece, she just happened to be sitting next to Issei and fell on him." Rias said with a little bit of amusement in her voice. Uberti didn't seem to respond but took out a small note pad from his back pocket. After a few moments he went over a few pages and when he found what he was looking for nodded his head in understanding. He then pulled out a piece of paper and held it out for Rias.

"I'm going to need you to sign this." For one of the few times ever, Rias' peerage saw her confused. "My employer said that once this happened, you and your family would take over my contract." Rias just took the piece of paper from Uberti, it was an ironclad legal document that quite frankly stunned the Gremory heir. Upon signing it, Mr. Uberti would be become her peerage's official bodyguard. The document outlined his payment and every responsibly she and he had to each other. There were only a few people that could have legal skill set to craft such a contract… and one of them was her brother. The contract said nothing on her own marriage so that was comforting to know, it also meant that either this wasn't made by her brother or her brother wasn't going to play dirty to get her to marry Riser. Rias continued to scan over every little detail as she walked back to her desk.

"Can I ask just who is your employer?"

"We never met, only spoke on the phone."

"Was this his voice…" Rias said before pulling out her phone to play a recorded voice message from her brother that pertained to some dinner plans being rearranged.

"No."

"Very well then I see no reason not to sign this." Rias said with a not so fake smile. One of the smaller clauses in the contract was that upon Dante Alighieri's promotion to a full high class Devil, Mr. Uberti would be transferred to her peerage as a pawn using three of Dante's pieces, while she was sure that Dante might be upset that Mr. Uberti is going to forced onto him, Rias could tell that this human was certainly worth it. "There we are." Rias said as she finished her signature and then passed it back to Uberti who after looking it over nodded and walked to one of the corner chairs and began inspecting one of his firearms.

"Umm… what just happened?" Issei said as he raised his hand.

"Mr. Uberti here was Asia's bodyguard up until now. The contract I just signed has placed him in the Gremory Family's employ as this peerage's bodyguard."

"Why do we need a bodyguard?" Dante asked, just as confused as everyone else. "We all can take care of ourselves."

"While it isn't common it does happen. Some Peerage's take a human bodyguard to help protect against more mundane or normal threats. Bodyguard is also a misleading term as they will also act in many other roles. Mr. Uberti's job with us is to not only protect us." They all turned to Uberti with a slight gleam in their eyes, the look on his face also showed that he was not told this bit of information.

"I'm these kids' damn butler aren't I?"

"I'm afired you are…" Rias said in a warm and friendly manner to try and offset the predatory looks her peerage were giving the man. "Now back to the issue with the Fallen Angels, I believe the best course of action should be to confront them with the facts and hope that enough of them leave to make the rest reconsider their odds. Right now we have seven people but in terms of the enemies power we don't know…"

"I know." Uberti interjected. "… they have that bitch Raynare and three others that everyone calls Fallen Angels." Uberti explained as he wiped down his rifle. "But then they have about thirty others that form what I've seen are former church members but they all have the training to be on equal level with a fresh batch of grunt right out of boot camp. But the only one out of all of them that worries me is that psycho Freed. He's unpredictable and that makes him the most dangerous."

"Okay… with that information I feel confident with how to proceed. Mr. Uberti, I want you to remain here with Asia and I'll leave my familiar here just in case. While the rest of us go to the church and confront the Fallen Angels."

"That seems a bit risky, going straight to the front door and hope that it isn't a trap." Dante pointed out.

"I'm confident in our ability, now… Akeno prepare a few barriers around the clubhouse."

"Of course, President." Akeno said as she bowed to her king and left to do as instructed.

"Kiba and Koneko, I want two to get ready while I have a word with Issei, Dante since you have taken such an interest in Issei's development you can stay." The Knight and Rook both left the room leaving Rias, Issei, Dante, the sleeping Asia, and Uberti though he wasn't paying any real attention by this point in the room. "Now Issei, I want to make sure that your ready for what's coming."

"You mean if I'm ready to fight Yuma?"

"First off you to stop calling her that." Dante said, his voice wasn't angry but it was firm. "Yuma wasn't real… she was figment of both your dreams and Raynare's manipulation. I have no doubt that Raynare is the type of woman who will use the feelings you have for said figment in a fight, her voice, her image, anything to trip you up and get either you or someone else killed." Issei just looked down, not at the still sleeping girl using his lap as a pillow but he was more just lost in the words just spoken to him.

"I know your right… but… I can't get that night out of my head."

"Maybe it might be best if we have Issei stay back and guard Asia." Rias sighed drawing the attention of the two boys. "It's like Dante said, Raynare could easily use Yuma to trip you up. And that could get someone hurt or worse. With the barriers Akeno will put in place and the rest of us at their base I think it will be safe to say the likelihood of you having to fight anyone is low." Rias didn't like this, mainly because if something did happen, Issei wouldn't be able to use his piece's ability to promote to another piece. "Dante, can you call Minamoto and ask if he might be able to help us."

"Sure, he'll grumble about it but he'll come." Dante said as he stood to make the phone call to his friend.

* * *

About an hour later, Rias, Dante, Koneko, Yuuto, Akeno, and Minamoto were standing in front of the church doors… or half of the church doors as one of them had been kicked off by Dante earlier in the past year.

"You are making this up to me later." Minamoto grumbled to his roommate.

"Yes yes I know. Just be happy that your boss got fooled by my bad acting. How in the world could he have thought I was…"

"Enough." Rias said trying to put a stop to reliving the memory of how Dante got Minamoto out of work for the day. "Let's just hope that Minamoto's presence is unneeded in the long run." The six of them entered into the church where three Fallen Angels were waiting at the top of the alter.

"Miss Gremory…" The only male Fallen Angel said as he flew down to meet the Devils. "… I believe you have something of ours. But it doesn't seem that you brought it along with you."

"That's because I wanted to let her rest, the reincarnation process is a taxing affair after all."

"I really hope that doesn't mean what I think it does."

"It does, Asia Argento is now part of my peerage and thus under the protection of the Gremory House." Rias announced to the whole building. "But that is not why I have come, this town is also under the same protection and as such you and your followers have no place here." The Fallen Angel looked back at his comrades. What was currently worrying Rias was that Raynare wasn't in sight and if she hadn't shown herself when she had told them that Asia had joined them then there was a good chance that she wasn't here at all.

"Very well Miss Gremory." The man said shocking all but one of the Devils. "If it is true that she is now part of your Peerage then we would not like to anger one of the great noble houses of hell over one human no matter how powerful her abilities are."

"Is that same answer from the rest of you?"

"The three of us are finished here, with this news we now know that things have gotten out of hand but Lady Raynare… I doubt she will be as receptive."

"And where is Lady Raynare… and the rest of your followers for that matter?" Rias asked kindly but everyone in the room could feel the anger coming off her.

"They are currently assaulting your headquarters. If that is all, me and my colleagues will be leaving now." He said before flying back up to the other two to discuses their next move.

"So… it seems this was a trap after all." Minamoto groaned as the rest of the devils disappeared through a magic circle leaving him to walk home by himself.

* * *

Issei tried pushing himself off the floor but his body just wouldn't respond. Everything went bad the moment Raynare showed up. She had shattered the barriers protecting the clubhouse all on her own and led the charge inside. Uberti had surprised them, he alone took down twelve guys before getting bogged down in a fight with Freed. The rest of the goons followed Raynare past the fighting and to the main club room. It took a bit more force to deal with the barriers protecting the room but they got through.

Issei did a better job than he thought he would, thanks to that training Dante made him go through. Issei would never once complain about the uselessness of learning self-defense techniques. Not only that but he felt himself get better the more he fought off the invading exorcists. But that changed when Raynare came through the door. She threw him aside like it was nothing and soon enough she had Asia's neck in her hands.

"You stupid little bitch… you had to go and ruin everything." Raynare growled as tightened her grip. "No matter, I can still take your Sacred Gear for myself even if you're a devil, I just need to adjust the ritual a bit."

"That's… what you wanted her for?" Issei spoke but his words were covered by a few coughs.

"Oh… your still kicking? I should fix that…" The next thing that anyone heard was the sound of Issei screaming as two spears of light pierced both his legs. "Light is toxic to Devils, it's said to be the worst pain imaginable to Devils. So what do you think? Is it true?"

"What do I care if it is." Issei said as he gripped the two light spears and to Raynare's surprise pulled them out. "This is nothing compared to your going put Asia through! I'll put up with anything for her."

"You know I really I'm impressed. A lower class Devil making this far? That power is something to be reckoned with." At that Issei fell back unable to control his body form succumbing to the pain, only staying conscious through sheer force of will. "Not that it's gonna do you any good though. I just wanted to make sure you got your kudos for doing so much better than expected form a Devil of your class." Raynare said before putting her heel down on Issei's back forcing him down to the floor. "Now listen good little Devil, you may have exceeded my initial expectation but considering that it was so low it really doesn't mean much. I am going to take that little bitch and take what is rightfully mine, she doesn't deserve a power like Twilight Healing, its wasted on her!"

"Your wrong." Issei said back defiantly. "If anything, she's the only person in the world that deserve it. She is the nicest, most caring person I have ever met. Only a person like that deserves the power to heal anything!" Issei yelled before sending burst of power out sending Raynare back.

"What the hell… where'd that power come from." She said as she watched Issei stand back up.

"If God isn't going to help me here… I'm going to take a page from Dante… and ask Death for help."

"What are you grumbling about now?!"

"I'm just asking this once… I'm a friend of one yours so I'm hoping you can hear this. Just this once I need a little help."

"Is all the pain driving you mad?"

"I'm begging you. I won't ask for anything after this." Raynare then began to notice that the room began feeling a bit more cold and Issei's own body was beginning to move a bit more fluidly. "Turn this around on her…" At that Issei's Devil wings appeared out of her back. "Let me destroy her ass!"

"How are you able to stand? That's impossible, that Light should be burning you from the inside out! Tell me how you're doing that, you don't have the power…" At that moment, Raynare noticed that bits of frost had begun crawling at her joints causing her to have a harder time to move.

"Don't get me wrong… it doesn't tickle…" Issei said as he stumbled closer to Raynare. "… even with this power… I feel like I'm about to pass out. But I don't care! I'll fight through it if I means I can take you down!" At that the red band on Issei's arm grew out to a full clawed gauntlet.

" **Explosion!** " Issei's Sacred Gear yelled out as the power around it reached critical levels, extending out a beam of green light

"That energy wave is at least second level. His Sacred Gear should nowhere near this strong! Its… just a double critical." Issei took another step toward Raynare and in shock she threw a not nearly as accurate spear only for it to be deflected by Issei's Sacred Gear. Raynare tired escaping out the window but to her horror found her wings unable to move from the frost that had formed on them. But it seemed that Issei didn't noticed that as quickly reacted as if he thought she was about to fly away and lunged forward.

"This one is for Asia!" Issei yelled out as he punched Raynare full power sending her through the nearby wall and out of the clubhouse. Just in time for the rest of the Peerage to see as the ran up to the building.

"Is that who I think it is?" Yuuto asked as he watched Raynare crash into the ground.

"Yup." Dante answered before they all turned back to the building at the sight of Uberti yelling at an escaping Freed. "And the freak is getting away."

"Ignore him… we have a bigger problem to deal with, Dante go get Issei and tell Uberti to look after Asia while we deal with Raynare." Dante nodded and ran to the old school building. Rias stood over the groaning form of Raynare. "So you are Raynare… I must say I'm not impressed." Rias spoke as Raynare struggled to look up. "I am Rias Gremory, heir to the House of Gremory and the King to both Issei Hyoudou and Asia Argento."

"Gremory… you got to be kidding." Raynare said into the dirt as she couldn't look up all the way.

"Yes, it's wonderful to finally meet you. I'm sorry to say we don't have time to chat. I'm sure that the Fallen Angels that left you behind have already reported your actions and so what's about to happen won't cause to much of a fuss." Rias said as she looked up to see Issei and Dante walk over to the rest of them. "Well look at that, your Sacred Gear has finally matured."

"Umm… yeah. It just kinda grew out like this." Issei said looking down at the clawed gauntlet that was is Sacred Gear.

"It's called a Red Dragon. Which explains a lot, actually." Rias said before turning back to Raynare who finally was able to get her face out of the ground. "Did you see this Raynare? You weren't defeated by a Dual Critical Sacred Gear after all. No need to feel embarrassed."

"What?!"

"The one Issei uses automatically doubles its owner's power every ten seconds… allowing him to transcend God, Satan, and any other deity at will. It's one of the thirteen varieties of Longinus. The strongest level of the Red Dragon Emperor is called Boosted Gear."

" _So the Sacred tool with the ability to destroy God is in the hands of a child?!_ "

"The one downfall is that it requires a decent amount of time to start due to its immense power. The only reason he was able to beat you was because you let your guard down." At that Issei felt a bit shaky, because he was pretty damn sure that he wouldn't have been able to do it he didn't get a little side help. "If only you learned that lesson earlier."

"Issei please…" At that, it was no longer Raynare laying in the dirt before them but Yuma siting in a defenseless postilion. "I'm sorry I know I said some mean…" She didn't say a single word more as she felt the ice-cold blade touch her neck.

"Shameful…" Dante glared down at the Fallen Angel. "Absolutely shameful. To stoop so low as to try this tactic… one that was sure to fail anyways." Dante looked back at Issei who had looked away from the scene. "Issei!" Dante yelled bringing Issei eye's to his own. "Never look away from your mistakes. I'm not talking about my silly rules about dating, I'm talking about your mistake of seeing this as anything more than trick to further cause you pain." And with that Dante pulled up and in a burst of frosted black feathers Raynare was gone.

* * *

Later that night.

Both Rias and Dante were sitting in the somewhat destroyed main room of the Occult Research Club. Dante was sweeping up the damaged building as punishment for acting on his own we it came to Raynare while Rias was calmly sipping tea as she overseeing Dante.

It's not that she disapproved of Dante being the one to kill her, she was about ten seconds of doing it herself but what made her mad was the way he had made Issei watch. Rias felt it was unnecessary for him too so something like with his emotions over Yuma brought to the surface.

"I saw that." Rias scolded before taking another sip. She heard Dante groan and then send Cerberus back. "This is your punishment and you will receive no help. You more than likely scarred Issei with that stunt of yours."

"He needed it! He needs to learn and guys only learn through life." Dante retorted back as he continued to sweep.

"I simply wish that would take it a bit easier on him."

"And I wish you wouldn't coddle him so… why the hell does it sound like we're his parents!" Dante yelled as he threw the dust pan and broom in his fit of anger.

"I hadn't thought about that way." Rias said as she thought about the statement with her finger to her lip. "I had always thought of Issei as a little brother… but now that you say it I like your idea better." Dante just stared back at Rias with his jaw hanging in shock.

"I… I didn't… it wasn't… oh lord Death why must you challenge me so!"

"Enough on that Dante, get back to work and we might be able to go to bed at a decent hour." Rias returned to her tea as Dante shifted his grumbling back to the normal annoyance of Rias joining his bed. " _The Red Dragon Emperor and the Prophet of Death… my my isn't that a terrifying duo._ "

* * *

The Next Day.

Issei watched as the two people he looked up to most in this world seemed to be having some kind of silent argument. He didn't understand why he had been called in to talk with them.

"So Issei… how are you feeling today.' Rias started off. "I'm surprised you came to school today."

"Great, thanks to Asia's power its like it never happened." Issei answered, he really didn't understand what was going on. But maybe he might be able to use this to answer a question he had been meaning to ask.

"Fantastic, she's already proving how useful she can be. It's no wonder all those Fallen Angels were so threatened by her power."

"So… if it's all right can I ask a question?"

"Sure go ahead… ask anything you want. We are always here for you Issei." The way Rias said made Issei even more confused, she had spoken in her normal caring way but for some reason it felt oddly familiar to him for some reason.

" _Oh shit… she's taking my slip up from last night to heart._ " Dante groaned internally.

"Umm… okay. If we're all named after chess pieces, does that mean all the positions are represented?"

"It does." Rias said before taking another sip from her tea, slightly disappointed that he didn't want to talk about something more personal.

"Then if I'm a pawn, that would mean that you have or can have seven more of me on your board.' Dante shivered at the thought of seven more Isseis. Rias understood the look in Issei's face. He was worried about not being able to pull his weight for the team and worried that he would need to be replaced by someone better.

"Nope." Dante said pulling Issei's gloomy look away for a moment. "You're all alone. The only pawn we will ever need." Rias smiled as she put her cup down, Dante had picked up on how Issei was feeling and even though what he said was a bit blunt it was still good more Issei to hear.

"Dante is right Issei." Rias said as she stood up.

"That's awesome."

"When a human becomes a Devil, the number of Evil Pieces they consume varies. It just depends on what special abilities has to contribute." Rias said as she walked behind Issei and then wrapped her arms around him in a comforting manner. Issei half expected the air to turn frigid cold but Dante contained his look of calm slight disinterest and only gave back when he noticed Issei looking at him for a response his normal warm smile. "For you, the pieces I had remaining, were one knight, one bishop, and eight pawns. So that's what I had to choose from. After I knew I wanted to bring you back as my servant, which Dante's pleading for me to do so had no influence what so ever, I decided to use all eight of my pawns in order to save you."

"In recap, you are all we got. And you are just so awesome that you are worth it. And I did not plead, I suggested."

"Wow." Issei said as he let the words soak in.

"Yes, it was a gamble. I had a feeling that your power alone was strong enough to replace every one of the others. Humans with that potential are hard to find so I considered the sacrifice to be well worth the risk."

"And now that we know that your Sacred Gear is top shelf stuff, I'd say Rias you hit the jackpot." Dante chuckled, he still found it funny that Issei had the power to surpass God.

"Boosted Gear… the highest level of the Red Dragon Emperor." Issei mumbled before Rias turned his head to hers. "Strive to become the mightiest Pawn. I have complete faith in your ability to achieve this."

"Consider it the graduation test my student." Dante said as he lightly punched Issei in the shoulder.

"I can totally do that. And now I'm closer to my goal." Issei said this with a perverted smile causing Dante to sigh and Rias to laugh as she pulled away.

"Well both me and Dante are going stop coddling you from now on or our newest member might get jealous."

"Jealous?"

"Umm… what's going on?" Asia said from nearby the door, small tears forming in her eyes from the sight of Rias so close to Issei.

"Uh, we're just talking." Issei said defensively although he wasn't sure why.

"That's how it always starts. It's okay I know she's prettier than me. And she'll probably do things I won't, so it makes sense that you like her more…" That comment did in fact drop the temperature down a few degrees but not enough for anyone other than Rias to notice. "Oh! I swear I'm not jealous! I'm just insecure. Dear Lord please forgive my sins of lust and envy… ow!" Asia said before crouching to the ground holding her head.

"Asia are you okay?"

"I feel like a knife just ran through my head."

"God isn't very receptive to the prayers of demons." Rias informed her devote Bishop and saw the slight gleam in Dante's eye and knew exactly where his mind was going.

"I forgot. He's probably angry I became a Devil huh?"

"Do not worry my fellow countrymen!" Dante announced as he stood up and walked over to Asia. "If the big man upstairs no longer wants your prayers than I know someone that would be delighted to have your devotion."

"Your not talking about Satan are you?" Asia asked not to excited about the idea.

"Not at all, I'm talking about Lord Death." Asia just looked confused and turned to Rias for help.

"Dante is a Grim Reaper and they are decedents of the first God of Death. They have to pray every day to him or loss his favor."

"Yes, Lord Death is mighty and caring god. For in the end we are all equal in his eyes. Angel, Devil, King or commoner… we are all made equal by Lord Death." Asia didn't really know what to say but was saved by Akeno who came inside to ask Dante for some help with bringing in something. "I'll prepare a short prayer book for you to look through.' Dante said before leaving the room.

"Umm… I don't have…" Asia stopped when Rias raised her hand.

"Dante is just enthusiastic, you don't have to convert to the church of death if you don't want to. But how are you feeling about becoming a Devil, I know it must be somewhat hard on you."

"Oh I don't have any regrets at all. The best part is that Issei and I can be together forever now, and that's all I ever really wanted."

"Uh huh that's nice but what is up with that outfit?" Issei asked as Asia was currently wearing their school's uniform.

"What do think?" Asia said happily as she twirled around in it.

"It's great… does that mean you go to our school?"

"It does, my father is on the board of directors for the school so getting her enrolled as a transfer student like Dante was no problem." Rias happily informed before the three turned to the doors opening to the massive cake that was being wheeled in by Dante and Uberti and were followed by Akeno, Yuuto and Koneko. It was a huge three layer cake with a sculpture of Issei saving Asia from a Fallen Angel, Rias had vetoed Dante desire to make the Fallen Angel look like Raynare. "Oh good, looks like it turned out even better than I thought it would."

"Wow!" Both Issei and Asia exclaimed at the sight of the huge cake.

"Dante and Akeno spent all morning making it. It's a little celebration for Asia joining and for Issei finding out his true power." Rias as Issei, Asia, and even Koneko stared at the massive cake. Once Dante said that it was ready he cut the first piece and handed it off to Koneko, Dante had apparently made a deal saying she got the first piece of any cake he made and in exchange Koneko would stop touching his cooking tools in a attempt to lick any frosting or batter. The small welcome party was a nice ending to the business with the Fallen Angels in Rias opinion and it had distracted her enough to not notice the feeling of alarm that was sent to her alerting that something had crossed the town's borders uninvited.

* * *

Author's Notes

First off I'm going to say there will be one original arc before the Riser arc… but wait… this one will finally have Rias and Dante get together. I wanted them together before the Riser arc so Dante can be good and mad when Riser comes calling.

Reviews

Ph0enix17- thank you.


	8. Chapter 8

Dante was currently laying back on the lawn chair he had set up on the roof of his apartment building. It was happy that the business with the Fallen Angels had concluded and the peerage had a new member. He was really happy about that last part. First off Asia was a great addition in a tactical sense, having someone that could heal on your team was a no brainer. But more on a more personal note he felt that she would help Issei grow. The kid needed some exposer to the fairer sex that wasn't Rias or Akeno.

Issei seemed to be having issues with the idea that Asia had feelings for him. Exactly why he felt this way was beyond Dante. Dante had at first worried that Issei might take advantage of her clear feelings for him but now… Issei's lack of advancement was a little irritating.

"Mind if I join you?" Dante looked up to see Rias standing next to him with one of the other lawn chairs in her hand.

"Sure… just thinking about the last few days." Dante sighed as he returned his eyes to the starry sky above them while Rias set up her chair.

"Yes, it is nice that everything worked out in the end." Rias said as she sat down. "So, what do think of Asia? I'm sure that you have some thoughts on the effect she'll have on little Issei."

"Again, stop that, he already has parents. And I think she'll have a positive influence on him."

"I think they just look so adorable together. And the girl has a lot of magical potential, I have no doubt that she will be a wonderful addition to the peerage."

"Agreed, I just hope that she isn't carrying any baggage form her past like me and even Issei to a certain degree. I still feel terrible for the trouble I've caused you with Beatrice and my family."

"Dante… it was no trouble at all." Rias said sternly. She hated seeing Dante blame himself for things that were completely out of his control. "It was not your fault that Beatrice became a Succubus, that was her father's fault. And it is not your fault that your family decided to mess with your life." Dante slightly chuckled at that.

"Speaking from experience? Both of us have rather intruding families. We've told off mine and hopefully it will go as well when you do so to yours."

"I hope so... but I'm worried that it won't be enough." Rias said tucking in her legs in. "And even if we are able to nullify this marriage… I'll still be only seen as the heiress to the House of Gremory and never just Rias. The House will always come first. For a long time, I learned to adjust to it and I made personal decisions because of it… but then I met you. Someone who was in a almost exactly the same situation as myself and yet you fought it and never stopped fighting it." Rias looked back at Dante expecting him to look thankful or maybe encouraging but she just saw him looking down at the ground with a dour look on his face.

"Well I'm sorry if you feel that way. Truth is all I did was run away from it. When I came here to japan I had every intention of disappearing one day to never be found again. I wasn't fighting my problems… I just ran away like a coward." Dante couldn't look up at Rias, after hearing that he was the reason she had felt so confident when it came to taking on her marriage due to his own supposed courage he felt he needed to her the truth, but he didn't want to see the look of disappointment he knew she had to have. But he was surprised when he felt Rias' arms wrap around him bringing him into an embrace.

"How many times are you going to continue try and make yourself look worse than what you really are. It doesn't matter how you went about it, you still tried. You are the bravest person I know and I never want to hear you say anything different."

"Very well, but I never want you to think of yourself as anything other than Rias Gremory, not the Heiress of Gremory but just Rias. She's a lot better than just some title, after everything she's done for me… I'd really like the chance to pay her back." At that Dante felt Rias pull him in tighter and could hear her tearing up. "Hey… did I say something wrong?"

"No… everything you said was perfect." Rias said before letting Dante go.

* * *

Clio opened her eyes to the sound of one of her many wind chimes waking her. she looked around the trailer that was her and Anthony's home. Still a mess, check. Sink still filled with unwashed dishes, check. Anthony stretched out on their couch, check.

It made her laugh every time someone mistook them for a couple. Anthony was more like a little brother to her. A sometimes over protective little brother. For as long as she could remember he would follow her around and once she stopped trying to get rid of her tag along the two had been inseparable.

She climbed out of her bed and grabbed one of her robes. She tip toed around the mess that was their trailer as she made her way to outside. Her bare feet hitting the cold grass she stepped out of the trailer.

"Aren't you an early bird?" A warm and soft voice that still held a slight deepness to it said form above her. She recognized the ascent as eastern European and there was only person she knew that had that voice and ascent.

"Hello dad." Clio said as she looked up to the man who was sitting on the edge of her trailer. His silky black hair hung down to his chest, his pale skin just as flawless as it ever was, his warm black and white eyes never leaving the sky, and his huge black cloak continued to cover his whole body.

"The night sky truly is a beautiful sight to behold… don't you agree my daughter."

"Yes, it is… now why are you here?"

"Why I'm I here? Why are you here?" He said before falling to the ground. "Why have you hidden yourself in the lands of the Devils? You are the daughter of Radegast. You do not need to hide."

"Well you've said your little speech, you can leave now.' The man looked hurt at her words.

"How you wound your father… please tell me what I have done to earn your wrath and I shall fix it at once."

"You can't fix it, in fact you being here might ruin everything. The Ovinnik is only being kept out because of the wards the Gremory House placed on this town. You being here could disrupt them and let it in." Clio looked back in surprise as for the first time in her life she saw a bit of anger cross her father's face. "Um… did you not know that Aunty Leonte sent a Ovinnik after me?"

"No… I was not aware that you were in such danger." Her father said before turning away. "Stay here in the safety of this town while I return to the circus, I need to have a talk with Aunty Leonte. She has taken her position as Chovihani as meaning she is not above the rule of the gods." He said before disappearing into a mass of darkness.

* * *

The Next Day

Dante was relaxing back on the couch of the Occult Research Club's clubhouse. He had just taught Issei the importance on proper behavior around women's undergarments.

"Sensei… did you… have to… freeze… my whole… body?" Issei shivered as he tried warming up under the heated blanket the peerage kept around for situations like this.

"Yes, you must understand that what you did was wrong Issei. You don't touch bras… they aren't for you." Dante said as continued to kick his feet as he went through a magazine on various new cooking skills. They all turned to the sound of Rias entering through the door with Asia right behind her.

"Good afternoon everyone… Dante why is Issei shivering?" Rias asked as she glared Dante while he just lowered his head below the couch before answering.

"Issei was playing around with Asia's underwear so I decided that this would be a wonderful time to teach Issei on proper manners concerning women's underwear."

"That is not what happened! I was just walking and it hit me in the face!" Issei tried to defend himself but it wasn't that much help.

"I'm so sorry, I'm just in the way aren't I." Asia said saddened that she was responsible for Issei getting punished.

"No not at all… I just need to get better at controlling myself. Right Sensei?" At that Issei received a smile and thumbs up from Dante while Rias just sighed as she walked to her desk.

"Issei, I think we're going to need to put you on a better training regimen. After the business with the Fallen Angels there was one thing clear, we need to get you up to your peek physical condition as soon as we possibly can."

"Oh great…" Issei slightly groaned.

"We will start off with early morning training. Dante will pick you up in the morning, five sound good for you two?"

"Sure." Dante quickly answered as he wasn't really paying too much attention but had been told about the early mornings he would need to take during breakfast. They already had their shouting match over the whole thing and it ended with Rias wining.

"No… that's nuts… I mean that sounds fine." Issei had backtracked when Dante had looked over his magazine and gave him a glare saying _You are doing this whether you like it or not_. "Well…" Issei said standing up trying get away. "I'm off to pass out flyers." Issei said before leaving the room.

"So, Asia… we need to talk about your sleeping arrangements."

"I think I saw one of the apartments in my building had a reasonable rent." Dante said putting down his magazine. He knew what Rias wanted to do and he was going to fight it with everything he had.

"Well that's very informative Dante but I want to know where would Asia like to stay." Rias countered. She knew Dante's feelings on her plans and while she applauded his chivalry she knew what Asia wanted.

"Um well…" Asia said twisting her thumbs in embarrassment. "… if at all possible… I…"

"Asia, just answer this question, where do you want to live most?"

"Issei's house." Asia blurted out. Dante just went back to his magazine a bit more grumpy.

* * *

Dante waited outside Issei's house in his workout clothes. Black sweatpants, and an old dirty white t-shirt. It was pretty early in the morning but it was nice and sunny out. He looked back at the sound of Issei coming out in his own workout clothes, a gray and white track suit.

"All right! Let's get moving." Dante said as he led Issei down the street in their jog. He had spent a little bit last year getting Issei to healthy levels of fitness but Dante was cursing himself at not focusing a bit more on fitness. "Has anyone ever told you, you run like a bitch."

"All my life!" Issei exclaimed completely out of breath.

"Well that ends today! Faster maggot!" Dante barked.

"I think I'm going to puke up my ball sack."

"No complaining!" The two of them ended up in a small playground that Dante had decided would serve as a good break from their jog and on to other more stationery exercises. "Listen…" Dante started as he used his foot to help push Issei as he stretched. "… from what I've seen of the Devil world and what Rias explained to me, Strength matters so much more than smarts. Being smart is certainly is preferable to stupid but you Issei need to get strong. Your Scared Gear doubles your power every ten seconds, so if we get your base power higher, the more it doubles and shorter it will take for you to get to badass levels."

"Your saying if I get ripped then…"

"Then Badass Issei is only a few boosts away. So, get down on the ground and give me a hundred pushups!"

"Yes Sensei!" Issei said as he started working on the hundred pushups as ordered. Once Issei had finished that. Dante told him to do another with him sitting on Issei's back.

"Come on, I know you can do better than that." Dante said sitting cross-legged on Issei's back. "Thirty-six, thirty-seven, thirty-eight… get back up." Dante said after Issei collapsed onto the ground.

"I can't… please… Sensei…"

"Arh…" Dante groaned before taking out his phone to check for time. "… she should be here by now."

"Who?"

"Hey you guys, I'm here!" Issei turned his head to see Asia running towards them. "So, sorry that I'm late. I won't let it happen again… awhh!" Asia yelped as she tripped and fell to the ground. "I'm no good at running and talking at the same time." Asia mumbled as she started to stand back up.

"Issei you go and take a break with Asia, I need to check a few things." Dante said as he got off Issei and walked away seemingly working on his phone.

"Are you okay Issei?" Asia crouched down next to the tired Devil.

"I'm fine… I'm not fine."

* * *

"Whose boxes are these?" Issei asked as the three of them stood outside his house.

"Yeah that's all my stuff." Asia answered. "Apparently, I had more than I thought I did."

"But why did you bring it here? Sensei, what's going on? Issei said looking back to Dante.

"Rias has decided that Asia will be staying with you from now on. She will be living with you and your parents." Dante said this but it was clear that he wasn't happy about it.

"She's what?"

"It's very sweet of you to take me in."

"When Rias asked her where she most wanted to live at the girl blurted out Issei's house." Dante said her answer in a mock Asia voice. "This is going to be tricky… I'm not as good as Rias at convincing people to do things they don't want to but I'm sure I can charm your folks into this."

* * *

Dante sighed as he closed the door behind him. He still didn't understand how the hell Issei parents could be so easily tricked into letting Asia stay with them.

"I know Issei is a bit of dunce but come on… how could they fall for that." Dante sighed before starting his walk back home before stopping at the sight of Clio in his way.

"I need to talk to you and Rias." Dante looked back at his friend.

"And why would you need to speak with Rias? You gotten into hunting for ghosts or something?"

"No because she's the Gremory in charge of this town." There was a calm silence after that. Dante thought over what could do now, running away sounded like a good idea... no Clio would catch him and then beat his ass for trying. So that left…

"Okay." Dante shrugged before leading Clio to the old-school house. The whole walk there was spent in silence, not that Dante minded. "Rias? You here… the next batch of crazy seems to involve Clio." Dante announced as he entered. When no response came, he started shifting to a more cautious mind set. Rias was always either here or at his place. "Maybe she finally got a contract that required her attention." It was very rare that Rias herself was needed for a contract, mostly because the requirements for it were very high as she was already a high-class devil. Dante then heard something move around the building. "We're not alone… Akeno! If your trying to pull some shit… it's really not the time."

"No… it's not one of your Devil friends." Clio said from behind Dante. The two of them slowly walked through the entrance of the building, making their way to the main room of the club.

"Exactly what the hell is here if not one of my friends?" Dante whispered as he kept his eyes trained on any of the open doors.

"So, you're just going to gloss over the fact I know about Devils and stuff?"

"Not important right now."

"Right… well… I said that I thought something was after me remember. I may have left out the fact I knew exactly what it was… and it isn't very nice." They continued to watch the shadows for any sign of movement. "It's called an Ovinnik, and it really likes fire and for some reason roosters."

"So, all we need is a rooster and it will leave us alone?"

"This isn't the time for jokes… and I already tried that. This one was sent after me by Aunty Leonte after I stopped working for her. It's not going to away any time soon." At that something made a sound from the next room down the hall they were in.

"Hold on… I got an idea." Dante held out his hand and summoned Cerberus. He quietly placed the turtle like Familiar down on the ground and the two of them watched as it hobbled into the room. "I want you to promise me that you'll vouch for me when Rias asked why I had to do this." Clio nodded in agreement but was feeling uneasy as to just what Dante was planning on doing. Dante quickly and as silently as he could made a small dome of ice over the two teens. With the snap of his fingers there was a load crashing sound that came from the room the Familiar entered. Then a few squeals that Clio recognized as the Ovinnik and then a sound of rushing… something. It wasn't water, no it sounded way too thick for that. Clio got her answer as to what it was as a disgusting slurry of brown and red sludge came pouring out the room. Then there were a few more crashes and then the sound of a window breaking. Dante pushed a block of ice through the goop of half-digested garbage and meat to make a safe path for the two. They both walked into the room and to their not surprise it was completely destroyed and in the middle, was Dante's Familiar, battered and cut up.

"Cerberus!" Dante yelled as he quickly made his way to his beloved Familiar. "What the hell is this thing?" He said looking back to Clio as he tried comforting the three heads.

"Now can you see why I came here. In the last year before we came here, that thing nearly killed me and Anthony more times than I can count. I thought I was safe here with the wards the Gremory House put on this town but… something happened. And it got in."

"Well the thing was already dead when it did this to Cerberus… but now… oh it is in for a world of pain."

* * *

When Rias returned from her lunch with Sona, to say that she was surprised at the state of the Occult Research Clubhouse was a massive understatement. The whole building was filled with… she honestly didn't want to know. It was clearly something from Dante's Familiar, Cerberus in her opinion was a very cute Familiar when shrunken down but it was going to be some time before she could look at it again without remembering the stench it had caused.

But when she saw the state the creature was in she instantly forgave the poor thing. It was covered in bruises and cuts and several of its teeth were missing. They would grow back but still. When Dante explained what had happened she had questions but at least she knew what she was dealing with and it made what happened to Dante's Familiar make a bit more sense.

"An Ovinnik… this is not good news." Rias said as Dante continued to clean up the clubhouse. "And something I don't want prowling around what is supposed to be Gremory territory." Rias said as she shot a glance at Clio. "Why is a Ovinnik after you? The idea that one could be commanded to hunt a person down isn't unheard of but who exactly did you anger enough to do such a thing?"

"Well…" Clio started, she wasn't to keen on the idea of telling Rias or anyone else for that matter what she was. "… you see the circus I grew up in is special. It's the home of the remaining Slavic Gods."

"What?!" They heard Dante yell from inside the building.

"Get back to work, your Familiar did this so you have to clean up. You were saying?" Rias tried to remain calm but that was very unexpected. She knew about the dwindling numbers among the Slavic pantheon and that they had apparently banded together to form a nomadic circus. Mostly they just wanted to remain out of the deadly politics of the spiritual world as they no longer had the power they once did and any loss on their side would be nothing less than fatal.

"I'm the daughter of Ehsan Abadi, a woman the circus picked up during their stay in Egypt and the Slavic god of Hospitality and the Night Sky, Radegast."

"So you're a demigod."

"Yeah… but not like Hercules or anything like that. The only power I seem to have is that people seem to be perfectly fine with me entering their house. Most of the time they give me a meal or even let me stay the night. But beyond that, I'm just a normal girl."

"I see. But then why would someone want to send a Ovinnik after you. Even though the Slavic Gods are less than what they used to be, angering a god is still something that any sane person avoids."

"The person that sent it after me thinks they are far to important to be punished. Not only that but I'm not very well liked by the remaining Slavic Divinity, only my father has ever actually spoken to me. The rest just ignore me. I'm sure my father is going to teach her his idea of bad hospitality any day now but that doesn't change the fact I'm still in danger."

"Your father can't force the Ovinnik to leave you alone?"

"No, Ovinnik don't work like that. They normally just appear at random back in their homelands of Eastern Europe but if someone sends one after someone… then nothing is going to stop them. Not even the one who sent them can."

"So the only solution is to end it ourselves. For now you can stay at the clubhouse after we add some more sturdy wards. And my peerage would be happy to help stand guard."

"Really? You would do that for me…" Clio said completely shocked. "Because I've basically been squatting on your lands, brought a monster on your territory, endangered your family, and was the cause for the stinkafiing of your clubhouse." She said as the two of them looked back at the sight of Dante cleaning.

"Yes, but you are a friend of Dante and as such I am happy to overlook all of that. Except one, but it was not you that endangered my family but whoever sent the Ovinnik after you."

"Thank you so much." Clio said bowing to Rias. "I need to call Anthony, he's probably worried sick." Clio said before walking off to do just that. While Rias returned her gaze to her Rook yelling at the resting Glutton.

"Did you really have to throw this much up! I mean all you really needed was one room full, not the whole building!" Cerberus made a few grumbling noises that seemed to be half a _sorry_ and half _I had to_.

"Dante, don't be so hard on Cerberus." Rias said as she approached the two. "You're the one who put him in such a dangerous position."

"I sent him in there thinking whatever was in there would be a nice snack, I had no idea that it was that dangerous." Dante said trying to defend himself. "But on to more important things… Clio is a demigod. Never expected that."

"Neither did I, when I first met her I could tell that she was different. Just not that different."

* * *

So far the day had been going better than he thought it would. It was Asia' first day at school and despite the ire of his friends at the knowledge that Asia was staying at his place the day went by without that much incident. That was until he saw the state of the Occult Research Clubhouse.

Rias had to explain to him, Yuuto, Koneko, and even Akeno that Dante's Familiar Cerberus had… well she said expelled but from the smell Issei was sure that she meant threw up large amounts of half-digested meat and garbage when it was fighting some monster that had found its way into the club house.

But that wasn't even the biggest shock, the biggest one was finding out that number four of his hottest girls he had evet seen, Clio, was the daughter of a god. Asia and him were told that all the other pantheons like the Greek and Viking's exist. Clio was daughter of one of the few remaining Slavic Gods.

And so here he was now… having what essentially was a sleep over in the Occult Research Clubhouse as Rias had pledged them all to help guard Clio and Anthony form the… he could pronounce the name of whatever it was that they were protecting Clio from.

" _And protect her I shall! Just as Sensei taught me, one of the best ways to get on the good side of a girl is to save her. Whether that be a monster or some jackass it doesn't matter. And maybe… if I'm really lucky… She'll let me have some bouncy fun time with her as a reward._ "

"Wha'ch thinking about Issei?" Clio said with a knowing smile as she sat down next to Issei.

" _Oh crap! She knows! She always knows!_ " Issei internally panicked. "Oh nothing… just umm… thinking how much ass I'm going to kick." Issei nervously laughed out.

"Oh Issei you're so brave!" Clio playfully hugged Issei bringing his head into her chest much to his eternal delight and Asia's eternal jealousy as the former nun watched, the only reason she had not stepped up in a half-hearted attempt to end it was because Dante had stopped her.

"Don't worry, she doesn't mean anything by it. She just likes to play with guys like Issei." Dante said before turning a page in the book he had brought with him. Alas Babylon, it was one of his favorites. " _You see, all their lives, ever since they've known anything, they've lived under…_ " Dante repeated in his head as he read.

"That doesn't make me feel any better."

"Well… you live with him and she doesn't. How about that?"

"What?!" Clio exclaimed as she let Issei go. "You two live together? That is so sweet." Before Issei could say anything, he froze at the sight his Sensei's face looked.

"Yes indeed, she just moved in with him this morning. I tell you, it wasn't all that hard to convince his parents it was a good idea. All I had to say was she could use the time to learn how to be his wife and they were practically begging to let her stay." Dante had to milk this moment for all he could, Minamoto would never let him live it down.

"Ah that's so cute. Asia, you know the greatest rule of them all right, a man loves through his stomach. You better be up to the challenge because after knowing Dante for so long I think I've picked up on some of his talent." Dante did not like the implications of that statement and neither did Asia.

"What do you mean by that?" They both said.

"Oh nothing…" Clio said as she gave one last pat on Issei's head before leaving the three. Dante and Asia both watched as Clio left the room before focusing on Issei who just tried looking off in attempt to not be noticed.

"Issei… what did you do?" Dante asked, this sudden change in his friend actions and her intentions toward the Pawn were unexpected to Dante. Not out of character for her but unexpected.

"What?! I didn't do anything." Issei attempted to defend himself but to no success as the looks he was getting form both Dante and Asia continued.

"Asia… I'm going to check up on Clio. You handle Issei." Dante said closing his book and following Clio out the room. He honestly felt Asia wasn't going to do enough to dissuade Issei from Clio's apparent advances but at least it might give him something to think about. Dante followed Clio to one of the other rooms where he found her alone. "When I ask what the hell you think you're doing… I better get more than a shrug." Dante said as he walked over to the empty chair across from her.

"What could possibly be talking about?"

"Why Issei? I know you tend to make quick and rather rash choices when it comes to this sort of thing. But this seems strangely fast for even you." Dante had to be this blunt or Clio would continue her jokes and innuendo.

"It meant nothing, I just wanted to poke and prod the two. If I have any attraction to him it's because of the dragon in him." At that Dante was a bit more confused. "You didn't know, the wielders of the Boosted Gear have always attracted the opposite sex in droves."

" _Oh fuck… I'm going to have to neuter that boy_." Dante groaned in his head. "Fine… lets quit talking about this then."

"Alright… then let's talk about you and the Gremory chick." Clio said, enjoying the opportunity to turn the tables on Dante.

"What? Me and Rias… no… no no no no… no. She's… well… I couldn't. She deserves better than me. I mean… I'm damaged goods at this point."

"Argg…" Clio groaned as she threw her head back. "You and your self-pitying. I swear if I hadn't heard you sing then I'd say that was your worst quality."

"I'm not self-pitying. Rias just deserves better than me." Clio sighed inwardly. This was just like Dante, and ironically what made so many girls fall in love with him.

"What happened to your rule that it's not your feelings that matter in these situations. Its hers."

"Why would she choose me." Dante said like the idea was the most insane idea in the world.

"Well, you're kind, smart, put others before yourself, you have a sexy ascent, can cook, your stupid hot…"

"Okay!" Dante grumbled.

"Besides… I've seen the way see looks at you. Every time you walk into the room she smiles. I've talked to everyone here and from what I've gathered, it's you that brightens her day, it's you that makes her laugh when she feels down. It's you that makes her happy." Clio was only trying to help. Honestly, she was. She knew that Dante had developed some issues with the subject of someone liking him after the mess that was his relationship with Beatrice.

"Even so… so still deserves better." Dante said standing back up as he had enough of the conversion. Wincing slightly at the sound of him slamming the door, Clio sighed at her friend's stubbornness.

"You did the right thing by the way." Clio looked back to the other side of the room to see a dark-skinned kid with long blue hair.

"Who the fuck are you?"

"Doesn't matter." He said as he kicked off the bench he had been sitting on. "What does is that you put the idea that Rias could like him. Hopefully by the end of this little bit of trouble you brought… the two of them will be together." He said as he walked over to the char Dante had sat in and sat down in it… upside-down though. Clio just stared at the kid, unsure of who he was.

"How?"

"Hm?"

"How do we get them together?"

"You always have been my favorite." The kid smiled even bigger. "Zeiveist Charon." He said as he extended his hand out.

"Clio Abadi." She said as she shook Zeiveist's hand.

* * *

Rias was distracted, for some reason she felt… worried. It wasn't because of the current threat in the form of a hunting Ovinnik. No, the creature while dangerous to one or two Devils could easily be brought down by her peerage. She couldn't understand why she felt such unease.

"Hey Rias." Her attention was brought back to focus and the calling of her name. She looked over and saw the last person she wanted to see at the moment. Zeiveist Charon, she did not need this headache.

"Hello Zeiveist, what can I do for you today?" She needed to be a polite as she could be. That was the key to getting him to leave as quickly as possible.

"I can tell you where the Ovinnik is nesting.' Zeiveist said before eating a few pieces of popcorn that he had brought with him.

"And can I ask why you are getting involved with this?"

"I want to help my future fellow Peerage members. And before you ask, I'm Dante's Bishop not yours."

"I gathered as much, you wouldn't fit as my final piece. No someone of your abilities would fit the role of the Bishop. But does that mean Clio is also a future member of Dante's Peerage?"

"Three Pawns. And Anthony is a pretty good Rook. But enough spoilers." He said waving off the current subject. "I have two conditions for telling you this. First… you have to go finish off the monster tonight. And you have to do it with Dante and no one else."

"And why only Dante?" Rias wasn't opposed to the idea it's just that she didn't understand why he wanted them to go.

"Because I'm omnipotent and I demand it." Zeiveist said in a casual manner. "if you don't go with only Dante then I shall summon a thousand Gremlins into this building."

"Fine." Rias said sternly. She really didn't want to have to deal with whatever the kid could come up with. "I shall go with only Dante and end the Ovinnik, happy."

"I am pleased… you may go." Zeiveist said shooing Rias out of the room from the couch he was laying back on. Rias just sighed and slightly pitied Dante for having such an annoying future member of his peerage.

* * *

"So why did Zeiveist want just the two of us to go kill the monster?" Dante asked as he followed Rias through the forest as she followed the map Zeiveist had given her.

"I don't know, maybe he's playing with fate or something. In any case he's given us a way to save Clio from the Ovinnik quickly. Even if the creature isn't here now, I'm sure that everyone can take care of it back at the clubhouse."

"Right…" Dante sighed. In truth he really didn't want to be around Rias at the moment. His conversion with Clio had left him feeling awkward around Rias. Things that he never noticed before now seemed to scream at him. The way she smelled like a fresh breeze from the ocean. The fact that he could easily see himself getting lost in the deep green and blue of her eyes. The sound of her voice like the most beautiful thing her had ever heard. Small things like that. He was going to have forgive Issei a tiny bit for always staring at Rias' chest because much to his shame… he had caught himself doing the same thing twice. " _Thank Lord Death she didn't seem to notice_."

The two continued to walk through the forest to the small cave Zeiveist had marked as the Ovinnik's nest. They never noticed the pair of eyes watching them as they did so.

"Almost there… this will be so much better than how they ended up without my help… plus now Dante will be even angrier when Riser comes." Zeiveist chuckled to himself from his hiding spot as he watched the two stand outside the cave's entrance.

"So this is the beast's den right?" Dante said as he pulled out his scythe. "It doesn't look like anything been here recently."

"Well considering that Clio and Anthony arrived shortly after you did, the Ovinnik spent much of the time outside my family's wards. It's likely that it had a nest outside them and found this one once it got in." Rias explained before cautiously stepping inside. "Coming?"

"Yeah sure…" Dante took a quick look around to make sure that they weren't being followed before walking behind Rias. Zeiveist slowly peered over the bush he had been hiding in and began counting down from one hundred.

Dante wasn't sure if this was a monster's den but it sure smelled like one. Rias kept the way lit with a small ball of magic, they didn't want the Ovinnik jumping out at them from the shadows. The cave seemed to go deep, deeper than Dante thought it should be naturally but hadn't seen any sign of it being man made.

"Are you sure this thing would pick such a…" Dante didn't finish as the two of them heard a strange squeal sound and then something crashed back at the entrance. "What was that?" Dante said nervously.

"That first sound was a Ovinnik but the second one… I think it trapped us in here." Rias calmly replied.

"Can't you just teleport us out of here?"

"I don't think I can… something is interfering with my magic." Rias said as she noticed this when she made the ball of light they were using. It had been far more difficult to make it than it should for someone as proficient with magic as she was.

"Are you saying we're stuck here?"

"I believe for the moment… yes."

Outside the cave Zeiveist was celebrating the success to his plan.

"Yes! They fell for it hook, line and sinker. If it worked for Minamoto and Akeno then it should work for those too." He chuckled to himself as he started his walk back to his apartment. "Wait… I did make sure to have an exit to that cave at some point… yeah. Yeah I'm sure I did."

* * *

Back at the Occult Research Clubhouse.

Issei was getting worried. It had been four hours since Rias and Dante left to kill the monster hunting Clio. He didn't understand why they had to go alone but he wasn't going to ask considering the face Dante was making.

"Do you think they might need help?"

"They'll be fine, it's them after all." Yuuto answered.

"Still… it is taking them a while." Koneko was also worried but did a better job at not showing it.

"Maybe they already killed the Ovinnik and are doing other things." Clio teased as she kicked back in Rias' chair.

"And what do you mean by that?" Issei asked though it sounded more like a demand than he wanted.

"You know what I mean." Clio chuckled. "Rias and Dante sitting in a tree…" Clio stopped her little song when they all heard a loud crash come from downstairs. Akeno opened the door to the room and called Yuuto, Koneko and Issei to follow her down while Asia stayed back with Clio and Anthony. Issei rushed to follow his fellow Devils down to the source of the crash. But what he saw he wasn't expecting.

The creature stood in the hole in the wall was standing at about nine feet tall with long lanky limbs. It was covered in dark blue fur from its head to its ankles, stopping at its large bare feet. Every now and then the fur that covered its face would sway giving small glimpses at its glowing yellow eyes and its small fang filled mouth. It squealed in anger at the sight of the Devils before climbing into the building. When Issei saw the monster's hands he could tell just how Dante's Familiar got the cuts it did. At the ends of its long fingers was a sharp talon like nail that seems to scratch along the floor as it moved. One thing that seemed to be on their side was that it looked like it was a slow mover as even after it had seen them get into fighting stances it didn't move any faster. But this looked to not be the case as when Yuuto used his amplified speed to get behind the monster it quickly backhanded him into a wall before continuing its movement toward the stairs.

"Issei, stay back and let your Boosted Gear have enough time to power you up." Akeno ordered before turning back to the Ovinnik. "Koneko try to get it back outside, it's too cramped in here."

"Right." Koneko said jumping forward, landing a punch on the monster though it was blocked by its hand. But the force of the Rook's punch did provide enough momentum to force it back outside. The Ovinnik squealed in rage again as it took a few strikes at the Rook. She tried to dodge them where she could but more often than not needed to put her strength behind a block. Yuuto quickly joined the fight after recovering from the hit he received, edger to soften the blow to his pride as a swordsman by hopefully taking a limb or two. Akeno also joined in on the fun as she flew into the air and began sending down bolts of lightning to the beast though the monster's hide seemed to be very resistant to magical attacks.

"Damn… they're all so awesome." Issei mumbled to himself as he watched the fight continue on. At the sound of the of the seventh Boost from his Sacred Gear Issei charged forward to try and finish the monster off. Only to be blasted back by a wall of fire. When Issei looked back up he saw everyone had been blasted back by the now flaming Ovinnik. It screeched in pure rage as it made its way to the knocked out Koneko. "No stop asshole!" Issei yelled as he tried to stand back up as the monster raised its flaming clawed hand to attack the Rook. Everything seemed to stop for a moment. Because one second the Ovinnik was about to kill Koneko… and the next it had a hole where its face was. The hulking beast slumped on to the ground revealing Uberti standing behind it with his shotgun's barrel smoking.

"I go for a few days to sort out the payment for my last job with sevreal different accountant firms… and I come back and find to find some fucking monster comin' after you all?! I'm never going to be able go on vacation am I?" Uberti complained as he strapped the still smoking gun back on to his thigh. Issei could only marvel at the sheer amount of badass that was his peerage's bodyguard. "Now I'm going to have to clean this thing up aren't I?"

"Don't worry Mr. Uberti I can handle this one." Akeno said before calling down a torrent of lightning, reducing the body of the Ovinnik down to a pile of ash. "Now you can clean this up."

"Great…" Uberti grumbled.

* * *

Dante kicked the rocks that had fallen on the mouth of the cave he and Rias were trapped in. They had backtracked their way to the entrance to see if they might be able to just force their way out. But it appeared that there just too much debris to do so.

"We aren't getting out this way." Dante bluntly stated.

"This cave continued on for quite a while. Perhaps there is another exit." Rias said turning back to the rest of the cave.

"Better idea that just waiting here… Zeiveist won't just leave us here to rot but I wouldn't put it past him to just leave us here for a time." Dante said this but what he didn't say was that he had a pretty good idea why Zeiveist did this all in the first place.

"Then let's get moving shall we." Rias said cheerfully, she was bit more confident in the Reality Mirror user honesty than Dante. But not by much. The continued to move down through the caves, every now and then they would check to see if they could build up enough magic to teleport out of their saturation but to no luck. Around ten o'clock they decided to stop and for the night, they found a small alcove in the cave and after Dante covered the alcove's entrance with a thick wall of ice in case of any not so friendly inhabitances of the cave.

"And with that… we are safe…" Dante said as he finished forming the ice wall. "Or as safe as we can be in this dark and creepy monster nest of a cave." Dante complained as he sat back against the wall of the alcove.

"Well I'm sure if a big mean bear comes my knight in shining armor will protect me." Rias joked while thinking back to the time he had come to the church to save her from the Horsemen Conquest.

"Oh please… the idea of you being so frightened damsel in distress is laughable. But then again… if you protect us from said bear then there would be nothing left for me to cook oh Empress of Annihilation." Dante lightly countered.

"That it is true… and are telling me you know how to cook bear?"

"No, and this place isn't exactly the best place to cook. So I think we're going hunger tonight." Dante said as he leaned further back in preparation for sleep but stopped when he felt Rias move closer into his arm. Still feeling self-conscious from his talk with Clio, Dante shifted slight away from Rias. " _Please don't notice I did that. Please don't notice I did that. Please don't notice I did that…_ "

"Is something wrong?" Rias asked once she noticed Dante moving away from her.

" _Damn it!_ " Dante mentally raged against himself and Clio for causing this mess he was having with Rias and even Zeiveist for putting him in this close space with her. "No nothing." Dante lied.

"You're lying." Rias said, her eyes narrowed as she knew that something was wrong with her Rook. "Something is troubling you, you've been quiet and distant ever since we left the others. Did something happen?"

"No nothing happened."

"Dante… I will find out. So you can either tell me now or I will find out when we leave this cave and Akeno or Zeiveist tells me." Rias didn't know what was bothering him, she thought they were doing better than ever after that night they spent on the roof.

" _Right now I have two choices… run like hell… or talk about my feelings. Normally I would run like hell… but Zeiveist has trapped me here. Most likely to prevent me from doing what I want. So that leaves… I'm going to beat that kid until his face is as blue as his hair._ " Dante looked back at Rias, and knew that was mistake as his heart jumped into his throat when his eyes met hers. "I…" Dante continued to try to say something but nothing came out. " _Come on! Say something you moron! You keep preaching to Issei on how all you need to do is be honest with your feelings and when it happens to you for the first time since your break up you choke! Be the fucking man you keep claiming you are!_ " The voice in his head felt only half his, but Dante didn't think on it too much a with a deep breath he calmed his nerves. "I went to call Clio out on her flirting with Issei…"

"Really? I thought she was with Anthony, why would she flirt with Issei?"

"Something about those that hold the Red Dragon Emperor in them attracting the opposite sex, can I finish before I decide I'm better off running like hell."

"Continue."

"Fine… so Clio ends up turning the tables on me and… we end up talking about… you and me. Ending with me saying I don't deserve you. You are strongest, smartest, most beautiful woman I've ever met… and I'm just some coward that struck gold meeting you." Dante had more to say but found himself unable to say more as Rias had brought him in for a kiss. At first Dante was just surprised, going on pure instinct. Time seemed to be at a complete stand still before Rias pulled back.

"I'm only going to say this once, I deserve nothing less than you. Every time I feel myself slipping, you come in and make everything better. I can't think of anyone that thinks more about other people than you, I know every day you live for your friends and your family. That's the kind of person you are and that's the kind of person I deserve." Rias pulled herself even closer to Dante, the familiar lack of warmth she felt from his body had been ingrained in her mind and had become comforting to her. She didn't even knew how she felt until he had said something, she had always felt something for the grim reaper but never knew just how deep it was.

Dante was still trying to go over the few minutes in his head. But once he got down to the bare facts things felt a bit easier, He said how he felt, Rias kissed him, and then confessed her own feelings to him. As he looked down at the girl relaxing on his arm he felt… at peace. Something he had not felt in a long time. Not since that first day Rias had saved him from his ex. He leaned slightly back to allow himself a bit of comfort, enough for him to let him fall asleep.

* * *

When Dante awoke he wasn't in the cave he was in when he and Rias had been in. They were both now in a small clearing, soft grass under them and the morning sky above them. The stars still hanging on but clearly fading. Dante looked down to his side to see Rias still asleep and holding tightly to his side.

"That's a good one you got there." Dante looked up to see a man standing over them. He had long black hair and his whole body was covered by his large black cloak. His warm smile disarming Dante suspicion.

"Are you the one who got us out of the cave?"

"Yes, think of it as my way of saying thanks for protecting my daughter." At that Dante's eyes widened.

"You're… you're…"

"Yes, I am Radegast. One of the few Slavic Gods remaining in this world… hello."

"Don't just say hello like you didn't just say you were a god."

"Sorry, I find it helps diffuse the shock." Radegast chuckled. "But in any case, you and your peerage have killed the Ovinnik… to be more precise it was your bodyguard and his shotgun. I must the idea that a firearm could kill such a beast is unexpected but not surprising all at the same time."

"Does that mean Clio and Anthony can return back to the circus?" At that Radegast's smile faded.

"I afired not, there are complications. Things have been happening behind my back while I focused on other matters. It is not safe for her to return as of yet… if it is okay with you Miss. Gremory I would like you to continue protecting my daughter until I feel it is safe for her to return." Radegast said looking over Dante to Rias whose face was slightly irritated at him pointing out she was in fact awake. Rias a small sigh Rias sat up to address the God.

"It would be my honor sir Radegast." The man's warm smiled returned at her answer.

"Wonderful. Please give my regards to your mother and father when you have the chance. I do so miss they're hospitality." Radegast nodded before walking off before disappearing into a mass of darkness.

"So… I just met an actual god." Dante joked as he continued to stare up into the warming sky. "And that even it's the most important thing that happened to me." Dante sighed as Rias returned to her pervious position next to him.

"Thank you, it's nice to know that you consider what happened above meeting a god." The two continued to watch the morning sky until Dante decided to ask what he felt should be asked.

"What happens now?" Rias just looked at him slightly confused before returning to watching the sky.

"Well I have often heard that when two people confess their feelings for each other and both sides feel the same way they move forward and begin a relationship. But then again, I'm not that experienced in this sort of thing." Rias half joked.

"Honestly I wish I was a little less experienced in this area… but then it would be very likely I wouldn't be here." It made Dante think back on all the relationships he had over the years but mostly on his last one. But, laying there with Rias he knew that all the pain he went through was worth it for that one moment they shared just before they went to sleep. "So… how often have you heard of this tradition? Was just in passing on the street or is this just a widely accepted fact that I am unaware of?" Dante said continuing the joke.

"Quite often. In fact, I believe it is one of the core tenets of society."

"Then its no use… we have to follow the core tenets of society or everything civilization as worked for would be…" Rias stopped Dante from continuing his speech with another kiss.

* * *

Author's Notes.

Okay! I need feedback! I really need you guys to tell me if I got this right. I have very little personal experience with relationships so I don't have that to pull inspiration from for Rias and Dante. I'm using other works of fiction for inspiration but I need you all to tell me if it feels right for this story. I am very insecure about this, this is one of the main focuses of this story and I think I can do a good job for the rest of the relationship it's just the way they start it where I'm a little worried. So please, Feedback please. If you want to PM and chat about the story I'm very open to that. Thank you all for supporting me and remember… Feedback!

Reviews

Ph0enix17- and here's another. Thank you.


	9. Chapter 9

"We did it!" Zeiveist said as he danced on the table in the main room of the old school building. "We did it! We did it! We did it so damn good I think I'll bring Dora the Explorer in just to sing her We Did It song."

"Please don't do that." Clio said flatly as she rested on the couch.

"Um… what is Zeiveist celebrating? He didn't help kill the Ovinnik." Akeno asked as she served a tray of tea to the peerage and Clio and Anthony.

"I'm talking about that, you guys had that thing in the bag. I'm talking about the fact I successfully manipulated Dante and rias into hooking up." The sound of Issei dropping his cup was the only thing that followed that statement.

"What?!" All but Koneko and Anthony yelled out.

'You're telling me that half-baked plan of trapping them in a cave actually worked?" Clio asked drawing the attention of the rest of the room.

"You knew?" Akeno asked, not demanded but asked.

"Yeah…" Clio said rubbing the back of his head. "… Dante came to talk to me and the topic of conversion turned to him and Rias… then Zeiveist came and we decided to get them together." Clio looked around the few shocked looks. "He said that they end up together anyways!" Clio pointed to Zeiveist.

"They do… in about two years. This way better. Tell me the idea of them together is wrong." Zeiveist looked around, the looks on Asia and Yuuto were of slight realizing and acceptance, Koneko kept her normal blank expression but he could tell that she was happy for the two, Akeno had a look of deep thought before smiling and nodding along in agreement… while Issei looked… conflicted. His face would turn happy then angry, then sad, then happy, then sad, then happy, then sad, and then angry… this went on for a long time. "See everything is…" Zeiveist was interrupted by the sound of the door crashing open.

"You fucking little meta troll!" Dante roared as he stepped forward into the room. The room instantly grew to be freezing cold as Dante moved toward Zeiveist. "Have I ever told you that I hate shipping." Dante growled out as he pulled the younger teen up by his collar.

"You called me meta troll for the first time… someone take a picture." Zeiveist said clearly happy and not at all afired.

"I take it that I call you that a lot?"

"Oh yes, its like a…" Zeiveist didn't get to finish as he was promptly thrown into a wall.

"Dante… could please not make such a mess." Rias sighed as she followed Dante into the room. "It's not like Zeiveist meant to do anything wrong, and it's not like anything bad came about from his meddling."

"I'm not arguing that part, just that the part that he thinks he can play with us like toys." Dante said before returning his eyes to the rest of the peerage. "If you have question now is the only time we will answer them."

"If you all feel the need to take a few days to come to terms with this then that would be okay." She said this but they all knew who it was meant for. They all turned to Issei who was still looking very much like he couldn't decide on how he felt on this. Asia returned to her happy self and began asking a few questions that were easy to answer, Yuuto just offered his congratulations, and Koneko just smiled at the idea that the two people who she looked up to most in the world had found happiness in each other. Akeno was already chatting with Rias about double dates while Clio was pulling Dante's check and talking about how much he had grown up.

* * *

Issei laid back in his bed, he was still wrapped up in the events of the day. Not so much the fight, although it was fun to think about. Even more so was how cool Uberti was, he took that monster down in one shot.

But what occupied his mind was the news that Dante and Rias had started dating. For some reason he felt sad about it… he couldn't place why he felt that way. He knew part of it was that he now knew that his closely guarded memories of naked Rias were forbidden to him. The fact that such a perfect chest was now forever out of reach was also causing him a bit of gloom but he knew these reasons were beneath what his Sensei wanted him to be. He was also happy for the two of them.

"If anyone could be good enough for the president it could only be Sensei." Issei said to himself. "Thank you lord Death… for giving Dante this chance. I do hope that you help him treat the president right." Ever since his fight with Raynare, Issei had followed his Sensei's path of revering Lord Death. It was him that helped him beat Raynare after all. Issei was suddenly distracted from his musings as he heard the window to his room open. And to his surprise and a mix of joy and fear Clio climbed through. "Clio? What are doing here?"

"Well the thing is… I can't sleep… and I find that I sleep better when I have someone in bed with me." Clio lied, she had heard this was what Rias said to get in bed with Dante. In truth, she wanted to get closer to the user of the Boosted Gear. She knew that part of her attraction to it was its draw to the opposite sex but it was also the fact that powerful people were draw to it as well. And if she stuck around Issei, she would met those powerful people and hopefully get in good with them and they would be on her side if another… more dangerous agent of the other Slavic Gods was sent after her.

"Is that so… but um… and you on my bed." Issei didn't understand what was happening but he wasn't going to stop it.

"Yes I am… don't worry, this will only be for a few nights." She lied again.

'Um… Issei?" They both heard Asia mumble through his door. "Is everything okay in there?'

"Yes! Don't worry Asia! Everything is perfectly okay!" Issei clambered to say before Asia opened the door and saw Clio sitting on his bed in a fairly revealing sleepwear. " _Did she walk across town in that?_ "

"Yeah Asia don't worry, we're just having a sleepover in here." Clio said shocking Issei.

"Okay Clio I'll see you in the morning." Asia said happily through the door greatly confusing Issei.

"Um… what just happened?"

"Oh that… being the daughter of a hospitably god means that people are generally cool with me entering their homes and doing what ever I want in them. I have to say I wasn't expecting Asia to consider this to be her home so quickly since…" Clio didn't get to finish her sentence as the door slammed open and the next thing they knew Asia was in Issei's bed with them.

"It's not fair! If you get to have a sleepover with Issei then I get to too." Asia declared, her face completely serious except for the not so subtle blush on her face. Clio just laughed slightly.

"Sure, one big sleep over!" Clio said to Issei's continued confusion and Asia's joy, the blond girl quickly jumped into Issei bed much to his sputtering. Clio thought it was cute that the boy that wanted to be Harem King could be flustered so easily like that.

* * *

"Everyone get stretched out, I plan working you maggots hard." Uberti yelled out to his new class. There wasn't any real anger or even threat in his words, these were kids after all. He just wanted to play a role that his own Drill sergeant would approve of.

"He really is a big softy isn't he?" Rias commented from the window as she, Akeno and Dante watched Uberti performed his new job as gym teacher for Kuoh academy. He was currently overseeing Issei and Asia's class.

"Are you kidding?" Dante said with a slight eyebrow raised. He had yet form a complete thought on the peerage's bodyguard. Uberti was only with them for a paycheck and yet he was a hard worker and had saved Koneko from the Ovinnik. Dante pushed away the not relevant topic and focused on Issei and his two friends. Dante still hadn't committed their names to memory, and he was unlikely to do so. Dante grew a slight smile at the sight of Issei looking particularly distant from the two perverts. Dante would normally feel guilty for driving a wedge between friends but he had yet to see any redeemable qualities in Issei's friends. "So exactly how is Issei's progress with his contract work?" Dante said turning away from the window.

"Slow…" Rias sigh with disappointment. "… he has yet to gain his first pact."

"It should be worth noting that the reviews for him are great." Akeno interjected.

"Sure, even before taking him under my wing he was enjoyable to be around so long as you didn't need a bra in your daily clothing choice." Dante slightly chuckled. "But he needs to start bringing in some kind of income."

"Well then we need to provide him with some kind of incentive." Rias said with a few ideas in mind.

"Boobs." They all turned the window to see a small drone hovering outside. "Promise him boobs." Zeiveist said out of the speaker of the drone.

"No duh meta troll." Dante retorted, he had still felt a bit of irritation toward the younger teen for his meddling in their lives. He was still happy with the end result but it still felt like a breach of privacy, a sentiment shared by Rias though she was far more willing to forgive him. "But I as a gentleman will never ask a woman to take that hit for the team."

"Clio! She'll do it! He already got to second base with her five times… wait… does it count when they're both asleep… no… I don't so." They stared at the hovering drone. "Clio…" It said lastly before hovering away.

"Why does he get nice toys?" Dante half joked.

* * *

Dante was currently laying back on one of the Occult Research Club couches as he normally did. He had just finished a Contract with one of his regulars. Now that Rias had Issei for all the weird and disturbing summons, his own had become far more in tune with his skill set. Most of it was rather boring, cooking dinner for the summoner, teaching one of the sevreal languages he knew, and every now and then providing gentlemanly lessons.

He was currently thinking over the various things that had happened to him. Become a Devil, finally escaping Beatrice, meeting his new friends… falling in love once again. It was one of the first things the two had discussed, both he and Rias knew that what they felt for each other was more than simple attraction… if it was then the Meta Troll that was Zeiveist wouldn't have interfered but that was low on the list of reasons why he knew he felt this way.

Rias had been the one who saved him from a fate that turned out to be far worse than death. If what he had seen from Uberto's Heartbreaker then he escaped a life fill with nothing but torment and pain. He could never tell Rias thank you enough times for that because he knew he could never finish once he started. Everything good in his life stemmed from her, he knew this. He knew that he loved her for all that she had done for him, he loved her even more for the fact she never held it over him in anyway but saw it all as the right thing to do.

And he swore to himself that he would never let this love fall like his last. Nothing would cut the bound they had created. Not that bastard Raiser, he tried very hard each and every day to avoid thinking about him… it tended to cause icicles to form around him. Not even Beatrice…

" _Oh fuck… when she finds out… she's going to burn down my apartment building isn't she?_ " Dante was thankfully distracted from his pained thoughts by the sound of the doors opening. He looked up and saw Issei and Asia walking into the room.

"Hey, we're off to pass out flyers." Issei said as he and Asia approached Rias who was sitting at her desk, she had been reading a letter from Sona's sister about the recent visit from one of the Slavic gods. While Radegast had stayed for less than a few hours and with a fairly good reason, Hell still went a little crazy at the report he had stepped on their territory uninvited.

"Hold on Issei, Asia… I've been thinking it over and I think it is about time for your flyer days to be over." Rias said after putting the pink letter away. Dante had yet to meet the lady Leviathan but from all that he had heard and seen in the form of letters… she seemed far from the monster of her namesake. "Don't worry you two aren't in trouble, but handing out flyers is normally the job of a familiar."

"Hell yeah… so what is this like a promotion or something?" Issei asked clearly excited at the prospect of raising through the devil ranks.

"Yeah I guess you could look at it like that but first things first we need to get you guys familiars." Rias said walking around the desk. "Go collect Kiba and Koneko when they arrive back." The two younger Devils nodded and walked out of the room. Both excited at the coming event. Rias smiled at their excitement.

"So we aren't going with boobs as a incentive for Issei?" Dante joked.

"No no…" Rias chuckled before joining Dante on the couch. Dante made room for his new girlfriend and soon the two comfortably laying back, Dante's arm around Rias and her head on his chest. "I think if we can give him a taste of what is to come he will try harder to get ahead… or at least that is the goal."

"And if that fails… we go with plan B." Dante smiled at the continuation of the joke. About a half hour later the whole Peerage had gathered in the main room to show Issei and Asia their familiars. Rias started off with own bat familiar, and then Akeno with her imp familiar then Koneko with her own cat familiar. Issei waved off the opportunity to see Yuuto's familiar and every but Issei and Asia shot down Dante desire to bring out Cerberus. They interrupted though from the sound of a knock on the door. After being answered, the doors opened to allow Sona and her own peerage into the room.

"Sorry to interrupt." Sona said as she walked into the room. Issei was confused at the sight of the entire student council in their clubhouse.

"Whoa what's she doing here?" Issei mumbled out. Dante just flicked the back of Issei's head and shhh'd him to be quiet.

"Hello Sona, what brings you here?" Rias asked cordially, the two had been friends for many years but they both still had to keep up appearances as heirs to their families.

"Nothing, I just wanted to congratulate you on increasing the number of your servants… among other things." Sona said giving a small look towards Dante. Sona had been overjoyed at the news that Rias and Dante had gotten together, she only showed with a private congratulations to her friend but she still felt happy for her friend no the less.

"Wait how does she… ow." Issei said as he rubbed the back of his head.

"Stay quiet and keep your head down, Sona is an important Devil and a old friend of Rias." Dante said to Issei.

"Her real name is Sona Sitri and she like Rias is the heir to a big devil family." Akeno quickly clarified for Issei.

"So your saying that…" Issei dodged the flick this time. "… there are other devils at this school?" One of Sona's peerage members smirked, it was the only male one of the bunch.

"Rias, I hurt to find out you didn't tell your little boyfriend…" Everyone in Rias' Peerage all knew the second the guy said that he was doomed. "…about us. But I suppose if you don't trust him with inside info he must not be worth much to you huh." There was a slight silence that followed his statement… one he had not expected. He most likely expected for some form retort or snappy comeback or even maybe Sona admonishing him for speaking out of turn. But to his surprise the next sound everyone heard was the cracking of knuckles.

"Sona… permission to punish?" Sona sighed at Dante's request… Saji had indeed brought a bit of shame on her peerage with that comment and no doubt cause a bit of ire from both Rias and Dante, two people she considered to never ever irk in any way.

"Saji, firstly it is considered bad form to get involved in the affairs of other households so it is only natural that Rias held that information back… secondly… I'm disappointed with your lack of restraint in your goading as you have just insulted both Rias and Dante needlessly." The one called Saji quickly put two and two together and his face went pale. "Do not worry Dante, Saji will be correctly punished for his lack of decorum." Dante calmed a bit down from that assurance as evident by the raising temperature. "This is my pawn Saji Genshiro." Sona formally introduced the only male member of her peerage.

"And this is my new pawn, Issei Hyoudou and my new Bishop Asia Argento." Rias said as she introduced the two.

"Whoa so you're a pawn to dude… that totally makes us twinsies." Issei said in a friendly banter sort of way ignoring the problem that Saji had created. But he just scoffed at Issei's friendliness.

"Can it d-bag, you and your gaggle of slutty-sluts don't deserve to be in the same room as a group of distinguished devils like the Sitri's."

" _This guy is special brand of stupid… the kind that I don't think I can really give a shit what comes out of his mouth anymore because then I would be angry all the time_." Dante thought to himself.

"Hey you take that back!" Issei demanded not liking the insult to his peerage at all.

"Aw he's mad now… not even guy prince charming or Rias' little boy toy can protect you from me. I took up four pawn pieces, bro." Saji said holding up four fingers with a smug look of superiority on his face.

"He took up eight…" Sona said not pleased with Saji continued embarrassment of her peerage. "… it is always better to check your facts before you make a complete fool of yourself… again."

"Wait… what? How did this lame ass butt-munch manage that?"

"Shut up!" Issei yelled back. Dante watched as Asia introduced herself to Saji and then he proceeded to flirt with her. Issei then stepped and began making a fool out of himself with various threats on Saji's man parts. The two Devil Kings both commented on the embarrassing scene but from Dante's perspective it didn't look like they minded too much. Dante knew that Rias was far to nice and cared to much for her peerage members to find such things truly embarrassing and he suspected that Sona was letting Saji dig a deeper hole for himself for later.

It was at the mention of the fact Saji was going to be gaining his own familiar that Rias and Sona returned to a slightly more serious frame of mind. The two of them discussed the fact that they both had plans to get their newest member's their familiars and how they may go about deciding who would be able to do so as only one family of devils may go a month. It was decided that the Kings and Queens of each of the peerages would compete in a tennis match.

"Is this all really necessary?" Dante asked as the four very attractive devils stood getting ready for the match, there was already a crowd of students gathering around the tennis court.

"It's not like we can ask them to leave." Koneko answer although she shared the sentiment with her fellow Rook. Dante looked around as the match started off… he did not like where this appeared to be heading. And it very quickly did. As soon as the match began… it quickly devolved into a peep fest for every horny boy in the school.

"Why did we chose this game?" Dante grinded out. He then looked down to his left and saw Issei standing behind his friends as they very intently watched the match. Issei himself looked to trying his best appear calm and focused on the match but in a competitive way rather than the perverted way of his friends. " _At least something good has come of this… I know Issei is getting better at controlling himself._ " The end the whole thing turned out to be a waste of time. Both sides quickly abandoned the no magic rule and it ended with a draw.

* * *

"It would seem that I have less time than I thought." Mr. Portinari said as he watched a recording of Dante and Rias Gremory kiss. A scowl on his face forming at the sight of the couple. "That boy does not know his own heart… that is what my daughter believes. But I'm sure he does. But what he doesn't understand his were is true loyalties lie." The man stood up from his desk and walked out of his office. He continued to think on the events surrounding Dante, it continued to frustrate him to no end that such a asset could slip through his fingers.

The boy showed great promise as a Grim Reaper, and there was more than one way for him to unlock that power. More than succumbing to his base instincts of his devil heritage. But now those means were out of hand. He had become a Devil and was quickly falling farther from a higher calling.

Mr. Portinari continued down the stairs to the secret sub-basement. Every mansion needed one. As he walked pass the marble columns he continued his thoughts on just how to bring him back. But to his continued frustration he could not think of anything, he had foolishly thought that his daughter might be enough to keep him in line but that backfired on him. It drove the boy into the arms of the Gremory girl. It was then that he stopped. He remembered something, a bit of gossip he had heard the last time he was in the company of so called higher beings.

" **I see you have finally figured it out**." A low whisper rung out between the columns. He quickly fell to his knees in show of respect and submission. " **It won't be hard, the foolish Devil's pride will make him easy to predict his reaction… but he will fail… the very reason we want the Reaper is why the Devil will fail. Immortality falls before the blade that ends the world.** "

"Should I send word to the Phenex Devil?"

" **You are the Servant, I am but the One Who Whispers. It is your task to serve us, how you do so is up to you. But tread carefully, for if you fail to deliver what we demand, the One Who Gifts shall be the next one to see you.** "

* * *

"So when was the last time you played dodgeball?" Minamoto asked Dante as they both worked on inflating the various balls to be used in the dodgeball game Rias and Sona decided on when the tennis match came down to a draw.

"Never… saw the movie though. Very funny." Dante said as he tossed another ball in the nearby bin. "But then again how could it not be funny with a cast as good as that." Dante thought that this idea of dodgeball was the perfect way to expend a little pain to the Sitri peerage, he had one target on his mind and even though Sona said he was going to be punished by her… Dante still couldn't not let what he said go unpunished personally.

"Add it to the list of things I need to see." Minamoto said dismissively. The two only turned from their movie conservation at the sound of Issei's back cracking and him screaming. Once all the balls had been inflated and the team had gotten ready and stretched out Issei had gathered them around to pass out something he had made for the team.

"You've come so far." Dante said proudly as he held the handmade team headband in his hands.

"Wow this are really cool Issei." Yuuto said as he received his.

"Yeah we are going to look totally badass." Akeno said in agreement.

"Thanks, I spent all of last night making 'em. Issei said as he finished passing them out to his peerage.

"You didn't sleep?" Rias said concerned.

"I just wanted to make something cool as a way of saying thank you for everything you guys are doing for us. I'm lucky to have friends as awesome as you. Plus I suck at sports so at least now I'll remember not to throw the ball at my own team." Issei said half joking half not. "What's wrong… are they lame? Should I have made t-shirts instead?"

"Oh no I think their perfect, Issei. It was nice of you to do this at all but you still need eight hours of sleep every night." Rias said this as Dante glared still not liking the ideas Rias had in her head concerning Issei.

"Um… okay." Issei said slightly confused.

"Doesn't matter Issei, what does is that you did this and it was a nice thing to do." Dante said putting his arm around Issei. "Now lets put these on and kick some Sitri ass!" The Peerage agreed and soon the Sitri Peerage arrived at the gym. They all quickly got into their positions with Uberti acting a referee.

"Okay…" Uberti started off. "Rules, you get hit, you're out. You catch the ball, the one who threw it is out and you can bring back someone from out. If I see magic bullshit… you're out and no coming back." A few of the teens grumbled at this rule but under Uberti's stern glare none of them voiced it loud enough for him to hear. "And let's get started." And that and the blow of the whistle the two teams went for the line of balls in the center of the gym.

The game last for three hours, with both sides breaking the no magic rule. But it had turned out to be a exercise in underhanded moves. Everyone worked their best to hide their magical cheating. The Rooks had it the easiest as their abilities were hard to prove and the more flashy magic users were left trying out various creative ways. Rias was the first to be kicked out for the magic rule, causing her to sit out almost the entire game on the bleachers. In the end it was down to two people, Sona and Dante. Sona had mobility while Dante had the strength. But then Dante won the whole thing by freezing the inside of one of the ball solid causing it to knock Sona to the ground when she tried catching it.

"And with that, the Gremory team wins." Uberti announced as the Sitri team began walking out in defeat. Saji having to be carried out due to the brutal hit to his man bits from Dante.

"Yey! We won!" Issei and Asia said together as they celebrated their team win.

"Need some help?" Rias said as she offered a hand to the fallen Sitri heir.

"Your boyfriend doesn't exactly play very gently." Sona joked as she took the offered hand. "But regardless, a deal's a deal. You get to have the first pick of the Familiars."

"As much as it is great to win, it was still fun to have this little game."

"Agreed, although if this had been a Rating Game, and not just us fooling around, there's no way you could have beaten me."

'You really think so? Well I guess we won't know for sure until we actually play the game."

"Yes true, but you should be careful, you never know how soon you'll have to back those words up." Sona said before leaving with her peerage.

* * *

Raiser was having a perfectly normal and fantastic afternoon. Until he had received that picture.

"How dare she… that little slut, how could do this to Raiser?" Raiser said to himself as he threw the picture into the fire of his bedroom's fireplace. Everything had been ruined, this news had ruined his day and more than likely every day that followed until he burned this bastard's body to ash.

The gall this boy had trying to take what belonged to Raiser, Rias Gremory was HIS betrothed and as such her going off and cavorting with some nobody made him look like a fool. A weak fool. He wasn't going to let this stand at all.

* * *

Rias' Peerage arrived at the Familiar forest soon after the dodgeball game. Issei and Asia were clearly a little frightened of the scary vibe the forest put out. Yuuto, Koneko, and Dante had all gotten used to the dark place by the time they received their own Familiar.

"Okay everyone, welcome to and for some of us back to the Familiar forest." Rias said as she led her peerage through to the meeting place. "Familiar Master Sepius should be at the…" Rias was interrupted be the sound of a man coughing. The hack and moans grew closer until Familiar Master Sepius came out of the tree line. The look on his face was clearly that of someone with the flu.

"Oh… it's you butch again." The man said before sneezing. "As you can see I'm in a hurry to get back home so lets get this over with. You two!" Sepius said pointing to Issei and Asia. "What chu' want?"

"Oh um…" Issei had this look on his face that clearly stated what he wanted. But with Dante looming over his head he was unwilling to voice it. "I don't know sir." Issei mumbled out unable to think of something that would be Dante approved.

"If at all possible I would like one that is really cute and fun to be around." Asia said in her normal sweet voice that would make anyone melt with the absurd amount of cuteness.

"That's stupid." Sepius blunt said causing Asia to cry into Issei. "You Gremory… what are their specs?" Rias looked slightly irritated with Sepius' rudeness but knew that she couldn't do anything about it.

"He is the Boosted Gear user and she has the Twilight Healing Sacred Gear." Sepius just stared at Issei who was currently enjoying the fact he was able to comfort Asia.

"That pissant has the power to destroy heaven and hell… it's days like this I'm (cough) happy with my life choice to live in a bunker." Sepius said before blowing some more snot into various tissues. "Very well… the girl needs something that will do a good job at keeping grunts at bay while she heals and the pissant… really anything would help but lets focus on the girl for now. (cough) given what I've seen I think she might be (cough) perfect for something special." The Familiar Master waved for them to follow him. After about ten minutes of walking the group ended up and a massive charred tree. "In there are dragon sprites… lightning was to be (cough) exact."

"Dude are you okay?" Dante said as he was getting really concerned with the sickened state of the Familiar Master.

"Shut up I'm fine, now girl… go up to the tree and if your heart is pure then a sprite will seek you out." Asia looked around to her fellow Devil for support and then walked up to the charred tree. Soon out of the gaping hole in the middle a great blue dragon climbed out, with a few smaller ones following it. The dragon looked Asia over for a bit, even taking a few sniffs.

"Umm… what happens if the dragon doesn't like her?" Yuuto asked though this was on everyone's mind.

"Then Grimy will need to bring out his Glutton and we'll be enjoying a Godzilla level fight." Sepius said to everyone's horror, except for Dante who kinda wanted to see that happen. But eventually the Dragon back off and pushed one of the smaller ones over to Asia. The dragon sprite instantly took a likely to Asia and jumped into her arms. "Well shit… and here I thought it was going to be fight night." Sepius said causing the Devils to glare at him. "(cough) well now for the pissant… maybe a nice cyclops will work." Sepius said as he begun to walk to the next nest of monsters. The peerage had little say in the matter and followed the man but on the way to the next monster a rain of green slime began pouring down on them.

"Is this really happening?" Dante said as he rubbed in his face frustration. The green slime was currently dissolving the clothes of Rias, Akeno, Koneko, and Asia. Yuuto was currently trying to get the slime that was stuck to his face off. And Issei… well it had seemed that his bottled up pervertedness was flooding out.

"This stuff is neat every now and then but completely pointless on and off the battlefield." Sepius said as he stood still as the slime covered his eyes too. Dante had a force field of sorts in that when the slime tried to land on him, it froze when it got close to him. And it seemed that the slime simply saw Issei as a brother pervert and avoided him as well.

"So all it can do is dissolve clothes?" Dante asked, to Sepius surprise it wasn't sarcastic.

"Yeah… what is (cough) going through that head of yours."

"Issei!" Dante yelled out to the pervert who turned back in fear. "This will be your Familiar." Issie jumped into the air screaming in joy while everyone gave Dante a suspicious look. But before Issei or Dante could stop them, the girls and Yuuto all killed the various droplets of green slime.

"NO!" Both Dante and Issei yelled out in horror but for vastly different reasons.

"Dante, I'm surprised at you for encouraging Issei to have such a monster for his Familiar." Rias said as she helped Akeno produce some new clothes for the girls.

"You don't get it? If Issei had that as his Familiar then we would have been the ultimate tag team!" Dante yelled out. "With that slime he could have gotten rid over everything covering the enemy and then I would have come in and cut them to pieces with my Blade of Finality!" At that it hit everyone that had killed the slime that was a very good idea. "The fact that Issei would have used this power for evil is just an begrudgingly acceptable trade off." Dante said as they turned back to Issei who was trying to push together what was left of the slime

"Oh yucky slime! We could have done so much together!" Issei cried out.

"Maybe not…"

* * *

It was two days later after Asia had gained her Familiar and Issei failed to do so. But that was currently the least of Issei's problems.

"Man, you are so lucky Dante is out sick." Yuuto said as Asia healed Issei's face from the very painful punishment he received from Koneko. "Because if he found out you were caught in the girl's locker room…"

"Please stop… I don't even want to think about that." Issei said, his voice slightly slurred by his swollen face.

"Oh this looks bad… try not to move Issei." Asia said as she tried her best to heal Issei's face.

"No need to rush Asia." Koneko said from the couch. She felt it was necessary to lay down extra smack down on the pervert for Dante who couldn't administer his own punishments.

"Even after all of Dante's lessons you still act like such a boy." Rias said as she took a cup from Akeno's tea tray.

"What… my friends invited me. I didn't want to be rude." Issei said this but he knew it was a weak argument.

"If it's so important for you to see nudity… look at me!" Asia said then started to lift up her skirt much to Issei confused protests.

"You know there is this thing call the internet… but then again nothing does beat live." Uberti said from his corner as he flipped through the daily newspaper. "And then all you really need is enough cash and a whorehouse and your set."

"Dante said if you have to pay for it then you don't deserve it." Issei said as the wielded teachings in his brain surfaced. Uberti just ignored them, he had given his two cents and was done.

* * *

Dante was miserable. He was stuck in bed, alone. Something he had come to hate. He missed Rias next to him but he also didn't want to get her sick.

"Damn that bastard, why couldn't he have gotten someone else to help us with the Familiars." Dante was sure that he had caught whatever Sepius. "I'm going to freeze that bastard in to tiny little pieces." Dante grumbled dangerously from under his sheets. At the sound of his door opening Dante looked out from sheets, both happy and irritated to see Rias standing with a bowl of steaming soup. "I told you to stay out. I don't want you to get sick."

"Yes I know you told me that but I can't help myself, I just want to take care of you." Rias said as she placed the bowl of home made soup next to Dante's bed. "And you need all the help you can get. I need you to be at the top of your game."

"Why? Did something happen?" Dante said as he begrudgingly sat up in his bed.

"I got a message from one of my brother's contacts in the Phenex household. Apparently he found out us."

"And… I don't (cough) see the problem. So prince asshat found out. It's not like we aren't ready. He'll throw a tantrum and your brother will step in and set up a Rating Game (cough) to settle everything. He'll be cocky because of his immortality but really that will be what costs him the whole thing." Dante said taking he bowl of soup and started blowing on it to cool it off. He could have just lowered it with magic but doing it the old fashion way made it better somehow.

"Yes, I know we have discussed this even both we got together but the whole thing still worries me." Rias said as she sat down at the end of the bed furthest away from Dante. "If we lose then… I can't say it out loud. The mare thought of being forced to be with that creep let alone to not be with you is unthinkable."

"Well doesn't that just inflate my ego." Dante joked. "Don't worry we won't (cough) lose. And if we somehow do then we will have the best affair story in all of history, one in which ends with me bringing about the end times with you at my side in retribution for those who have wronged us." Dante made it sound like he was joking but on the inside he was dead serious.

"But it won't come to that right? Because you're going to kick that smug jackass in his stupid face right?"

"Whoa… that's some strong language Miss Gremory, one could (cough) say it's scandalous." Dante said before taking his first spoon of soup. "Wow, this is amazing!" Dante before he started vigorously eating the soup. "This isn't one of my recipes, did you make this from scratch?"

"Oh its just a recipe my mother used to make for me and my brother when we would get sick… do you really like it?" Rias said with a bit of red filling her cheeks.

"I love it…" Dante said before finishing off the bowl. "… could I please…"

"Yes you can have another bowl." Rias said taking the finished bowl to refill it once she left the room Minamoto whooshed inside appearing next to Dante.

"Bro… are crazy? That stuff is nasty. Is this another one of your rules or something?"

"No. It really is good soup. I'm surprised that I have yet to elevate your taste buds to the point where you can't tell these sorts of things."

"If you think that stuff is good then I'm going to start reconsidering exactly what you have been feeding me."

* * *

"So how are you feeling?" Yuuto asked Dante carefully as both Rias and Dante seemed to be very upset at something. He, Akeno, and Koneko had a pretty good idea as to what it was though.

"Suck… I feel suck. My head is all foggy and the damn cough won't go away." Dante grumbled as the peerage minus Rias and Akeno walked to the clubhouse.

"I'm sorry my healing doesn't work on sickness." Asia said looking at the ground in disappointment of herself.

"Don't blame yourself, I'm sure you would do whatever you can if you could. But that's not why I'm so pissy today."

"Zeiveist come out of hiding?" Issei asked. Ever since shipping Rias and Dante together the Reality Mirror user had only contacted them via drones or carrier bird and other irritatingly unnecessarily complicated means of commutation.

"Thank Death he hasn't. That little meta troll has been very quiet the last week. But nope… a completely different thorn in my ass is causing my (cough) bad day." The group entered the old school house and found Rias and Akeno waiting for them with a woman that none of them had ever seen before. Dante noted that Issei had done a decent job of controlling himself concerning the fact the woman was very attractive and even more so with the fact he didn't make any suggestive comments on the fact she was dressed as a maid.

"Well everyone's here… good." Rias said standing u, clearly not in a good mood. Issei looked purely confused as to what was going on as did Asia while the rest of Rias' peerage was getting ready for the blizzard that was coming.

"My lady with your permission, if I could speak openly?"

"Let's hear her out." Rias said this but before the woman could speak a magic circle formed in the room, creating a blaze of fire until a well dressed man with blond hair stepped out of the flames.

"And Raiser has arrived in the human realm. I've come all this way to see you… my beloved Rias." The freshly arrived members of Rias' peerage all took a little step back from Dante.

"Okay who's this douche?" Issei asked back to his other peerage members quietly enough so that he couldn't be heard by anyone else.

"That's Raiser Phenex, he's a big shot devil and the third heir to the Phenex family. He's also currently engaged to Rias." Yuuto answered Issei. "But I hear it's more like he's engaged to the heir of the Gremory family which just happens to be Rias." Issei and as well Asia were both shocked to hear that Rias was currently engaged.

"Raiser has come calling to put an end to the vicious rumors surrounding you dear Rias. Rumors that say such besmirching things, like you have chosen to court one of your own servants rather than live up to your duty to your House." Raiser said as his eyes locked on Dante. Everyone in the room could feel the battle of power raging in the room through the temperature, one second it was bitter cold and the next second it was blistering hot.

"That's enough." The woman in the maid uniform said ending the fluxing temperature. "If neither of you will behave like the noble devils you are then I will need step in."

"Him! A Noble Devil? Impossible!" Raiser yelled out pointing to Dante.

"He is, Dante Alighieri is currently in line to join the Grim House Nergal once he has completed his time in Lady Gremory's Peerage. He already has a sponsor and has his Blade of Bone, as such his Nobility is without question." Dante was a little surprised at this news but he didn't show it, unlike Raiser who looked like he wanted to throw a hissy fit. "The House of Nergal has already stated that should Sir Alighieri and Lady Gremory wish to continue their relationship they would be willing to take over the Phenex marriage contract." This was music to both Rias and Dante's ears. They both had no idea that this was going on but they both knew they had some major thanking to do in the coming days.

"That is if the Phenex family agrees and it does not." Raiser said with a smug look returning to his face.

"That is why Sirzechs has placed forward a chance for you two to settle this in a Rating Game." Few were surprised by this, even with the support of the Grim House, Rias and Dante both knew that the Phenex family wasn't going to let Rias go without a fight. "Should Lady Rias win then the marriage contract shall go to the family of her choosing. But if Lord Raiser should win, the contract shall remain as is."

"Ha! This is trivial… Raiser has participated in numerus Rating Games and has scored sevreal wins, my dear Rias has yet to take part in a single game. And if this is all you have to offer in pieces then I'm afraid your even more out classed than I thought." Raiser snapped his fingers and another magic circle appeared behind him. Bringing in his own peerage in a burst of flames. Dante felt even more disgust for the man when what Rias had told him about Raiser's peerage turned out to be true, they were all female and looked to be nothing more than a harem. Although Dante knew they had to be strong if he had indeed won many Rating Games. "Because I have fifteen pieces… in other words a complete set." Dante stepped back on Issei's foot to prevent him from saying the first stupid thing to pop into his head.

"Oh come on…" Dante started. "… exactly how insecure can you be that you need all these women. I've never seen anything more overcompensating in my life." Dante smiled at the Raiser's predictable reaction. The man yelled and pulled one of his servants over and started playing with her just to prove a point that Dante was happy to twist into something else entirely. "Oh please stop…" Dante started in mock shock and embarrassment. "… oh the horror, we get it you can stop now… we all understand that you're small please just stop screaming it at us." Dante actually had a lot more material for this but was unable to continue as Raiser easily took the bait and sent one of his servants at him. He simply sidestepped her thrust and backhanded her into the wall. "(cough) and this is when I'm sick." Dante mocked as Raiser watched with increasing rage.

"That's enough." Everything stopped as they all turned to woman in the maid uniform. "If you do not cease this course of action then I will have to step in myself."

"When coming from the Ultimate Queen, even Raiser may get a little afired, Lady Grayfia." Raiser said as he moved back from his attack.

"Good, the Rating Gmae will commence in ten days. Can I assume this is fine with the two of you?"

"Raiser sees no harm in waiting a little longer to crash dear Rias' little club into the ground." Raiser said before leaving with his whole peerage.

"We will take all the help we can get so thank you." Rias said accepting the ten day waiting time.

"Ten days… until I can beat that smug look off his face." Dante growled out happily.

* * *

Author's Notes

I'm not sorry… I'm not. I've asked for reviews, they are what keep me going. I will never abandon stories but Reviews help me feel committed to a story and that you guys are still interested. So I'll say it again, please Review and these will come out a lot quicker.

And so I'm doing Elder Gods… yeah…

Reviews

Ph0enix17- thank you

LucasMichael- Thank you.


	10. Chapter 10

"Work those legs!" Dante yelled out as he passed Issei as they climbed the hill to the manor they would be training at. Dante was carrying a massive bag six times the size of Issei's.

"Come on Sensei… what did they put in yours… feathers?" Issei said as he trudged on. He was quickly passed by Yuuto, Koneko, and finally Anthony who also had massive bags. Issei soon fell back and was struggling to get back, doing a great impression of a turtle on its back.

"This is just pitiful kid." Uberti said as he pulled Issei back up by his collar. Issei was just standing there for a few minutes trying to catch his breath.

"Um… Rias… is it okay if I help him?" Asia asked from the top of the hill where she, Akeno, Clio and Rias were waiting.

"If you do that then I'm telling Clio it will be fine for her to sleep with Issei." Dante said as he passed them. He had noticed what had been going on and rather than try to stop it he decided it would be a better use of energy using the situation. While he felt responsible for the pervert he wasn't going to hold his hand through life.

"Oh no that's fine I'm sure Issei can handle it." Asia backtracked quickly, Clio meanwhile just quietly chuckled as she planned on doing that regardless. Rias smiled as Dante performed his role well. but then frowned as the reality of why they were here sunk back in. they were here to train for the Ratings Game between her and Raiser. While she was outwardly optimistic on the inside she was doing everything she could to not panic. Her and Dante had planned out this event to the last detail even before they got together but now… it just felt so much more real.

But she had to believe in her friends. She trusted Akeno with her life and knew that she would work her hardest for her just as Raiser would for her. She knew that Yuuto wouldn't let her down, no he had to much pride in his skills for that. Rias couldn't see Her first Rook falling without taking more than half of the enemy down with her, though Rias would never let that happen. And now with her two newest additions, both Issei and Asia would become powerful Devils after these ten days, they were already strong but their power needed to be refined.

And there was of course Dante, she honestly felt sorry for Raiser. Even after all the things Raiser had and attempted to do, they paled compared to what Dante had in store for him. Dante had even made a list… and only getting through half made Rias realize just how vindictive Dante could get when it came to someone threatening their relationship.

The peerage soon reached the manor and the newer members of the group were awed by the beauty of both the land around the manor and the manor itself. But soon they noticed that two men stood outside the front doors of the manor. Rias was about to ask them who they were but Dante suddenly rushed to the older looking one and punched him right in the gut.

"You lying bastard! You knew you were going to live after you died!" Dante raged as the older man curled up around his gut.

"Nice to see you again my boy…" The man grunted out while the other man just ignored the whole thing. "I see you have… the strength of a Rook."

"Shut up! You have six years of foot rubs to make up for." Dante said as he kicked the downed man as the rest of the peerage made their way. Clio and Akeno and even Rias all did a slight double take at the other man standing next to the scene. He was thee most ruggedly handsome man they had ever seen. Short wavy blond hair flowed down from a brown cowboy hat while sparkling blue eyes captivated any that looked into them. Dante and Issei both noticed this reaction and instantly vowed to hurt this man someday.

"Can I ask who you two are and why you are on my family's property." Rias said with a slight blush of embarrassment.

"I can answer that Lady Gremory." The older man said as he stood back up as if he wasn't hurt at all. Something that made Dante a little mad. "I am Julio Alighieri and this is Jacob Doyle. We are from the Nergal House, I will be here to help in any way we can to ensure your victory in the coming Ratings Game."

"Wait… are you and Dante related by any chance?" Issei said like a complete idiot.

"He is my grandfather on my mother's side." Dante answered. "He's the one that taught me all about lord Death but he never mentioned that we were related to lord Death. By the way mom knows so when were you planning on telling me?"

"Never my boy, that duty was for your mother… while I love her so I will admit she can be… forgetful at times." Dante just rubbed his face in annoyance.

"I noticed you said you will be helping us but did not include him in that statement." Rias pointed out.

"That's because mam…" The Southern American ascent was something out of a movie. It wasn't too deep due to his apparent youth but still very moving to a select few present. "… I'm just here because the Nergal house would like us to start spending time together as soon as possible." Neither Rias or Dante liked what meant.

"Hold on… Jacob here is misleading you, unintentionally I'm sure." Dante's grandfather said causing Jacob to look confused then a look of realization hit him.

"Oh pardon me, I didn't mean anything by that. But truth needs to be told, if you win the game and chose the Nergal House for the contract, It will be me that you will be set to walk down the aisle to. But I'm just the place holder until Dante here joins the House proper." Rias and Dante both breathed a sigh of relief at that.

"Does that mean you are single?" Clio said as she slipped past Rias and Dante. "Because if so… hi… I'm Clio, daughter of the GOD Radegast." Clio said before staring daggers at elder Alighieri who was laughing behind Jacob.

"You can back off em' girl. Young master Jacob here may be currently planned to hold Dante's place but that doesn't mean he can just date anyone. The only reason why these two are even considered an approved match is because Rias is considered _Good Breeding Stock_." He said with a frown and air quotes. "The Grim Houses control just who is allowed in via marriage, only the best Devils are even considered. A demigod of a failing pantheon is not up to snuff." The way he spoke it was clear that these weren't his personal values. "But enough depressing nobility shit. Let us all get settled in and get ready for training. You still have to beat Raiser." He said as he pushed the doors open and lead the group of teens into the manor.

They separated by gender to change into more practical attire. Dante's grandfather, Jacob, and Uberti moved straight to outside to discuss training. Yuuto, Anthony and Issei had noticed that Dante had glared a few times out the window, it didn't take much thought to figure out what was wrong.

"Hey Sensei… what's wrong. You seem pissed for some reason?"

"I just don't like that guy." Dante said glaring out to Jacob. "I mean come on, how can you trust a guy that attractive." Both Yuuto, Issei, and Anthony stared at Dante who just returned a blank unknowing look.

Back with the girls…

"Oh my dad! Is the Jacob guy hot or what!" Clio said as she undressed with the rest of the girls. "And that accent… I think it beats out Dante's on the sexiness scale." Rias and Akeno both felt a uncomfortable and irritated at Clio's choice of conversation topic. Both being in happy relationships, while the topic of Jacob's attractiveness wasn't necessarily taboo it was the way Clio seemed to imply that Jacob was superior to their boyfriends.

Meanwhile both Asia and Koneko picked up on the waves of not so much hate but dislike the two older devils were sending out the either brave or oblivious demigod. Asia was the only one who barely noticed Jacob and Koneko was more focused on him as in much the same way Dante did, as a threat.

An hour later everyone had been gathered out on the field to started training. Akeno and Asia were working on her magical ability. Issei was being yelled at by Uberti as he spared with Yuuto. Koneko was trying her hardest to hit Jacob who simply vanished in a gust of strong wind before any punch could be landed. Dante, Rias, and Dante's grandfather were absent from the main training as the elder Reaper had taken them up the mountainside.

"Okay… this outta be far enough." Julio said as he took a quick look around. "Dante, first off I would like to say I'm sorry for not telling you about your heritage earlier on. If I had done so you might have been speared the future of a Heartbreaker. But I'm happy to see you escaped that fate all on your own."

"Well it wasn't like I had anything to do with it. It was Rias that saved me, nothing else." Dante said this in such a truth and fact way that it made Rias blush slightly. It just reminded her how humble Dante could be. As she knew that it was only because he broke things off with Beatrice in the first place that even gave them the chance to meet.

"Yes yes…" Dante's grandfather said dismissively. "But I don't think you understand why you becoming a Reaper was so important. I'm sure that you've been visited by Lord Death's brothers correct." Both Dante and Rias snapped their full attention to the elder Reaper then. "Right… so they did." He said looking as though that wasn't expected but at the same time it was.

"Grandfather… what is going on?"

"When you meet Conquest, he told you the fate of Lord Death did he not. That Lord Death was banished from existence and now the power of the Horseman of Death is seeking a new host. Dante, you are that host. You are the Apostle of Death." Dante felt like he should be shocked but he was confused more than anything.

"Um… what?" Julio sighed at his grandson's ignorance.

"It means that you hold within you the power to end the world. But at the same time you are not yet destined to do so because Lord Death still lives in some way and as such it is Lord Death's destiny to end the world. But… he can't do that currently… do you see the cycle?"

"Yeah, I have the power but fate is not interested in me like it is Lord Death but Lord Death can't do anything because he doesn't have the power to do so." Dante said nodding in understanding.

"Right, you may have already have had contact with Lord Death, the two of you are bounded by this power. Try to think back to anything that might have felt like you meeting the incarnation of death itself."

"Well… there was that time when I gained my Sacred Gear… wait! That was Lord Death?! He looked like a homeless man with moving face tattoos." Dante said honestly shocked.

"Yes, for you are indeed his Apostle. But you are vastly different than the many who were born before. All others have been killed by the Housemen. But you are different and fooled them into thinking you weren't what you are. I don't know why you were able to do this though."

"Um, I might have the answer." Rias interjected. "The day before the Housemen came, I was visited by Lord Death in a dream." Both of the Grim Reapers stared at her wide eyed. "He had warned me of what was coming but he also told me that they were looking to see if Dante would run away or save us."

"Conquest did say something about wanting to see how I would react." Dante added on.

"All confirmed Apostles did try to save themselves rather quickly. So now we know what the Housemen look for but that's not exactly helpful now."

"So what does this mean for us going forward?" Rias asked concerned about a return of the Horsemen.

"It means that the Horsemen will be going through every single Reaper out there in search of the Apostle… that might sound like it would take a long time but our numbers have never been that high. Once the finish doing that… things will turn for the worse. They will either do one of two things. One they might start over and go after those they felt to be the most likely or… they might try to start the apocalypse before the Apostle can gain the strength to stand up to them."

"But they can't, the apocalypse can start without all Four Horsemen." Rias countered.

"Yes… in theory. But there are more world ending events than just Apocalypse. The Nordic Ragnarok for one example. And many other ways that aren't so widely known."

"So can we stop them, Conquest said that there must always be Four Horsemen. That's why I'm apparently getting Lord Death's power."

"While that is true, at the same time this generation of Horsemen are unlike the two that came before. This one actually is trying to cause the end of the world. You see the thing is, the Horsemen are the heralds and bringers of the Apocalypse but they are not supposed to be the cause of it. This all started with the first generation of Horsemen who came along with Heaven and Hell, God and the Devils. They were chosen from the old Sumerian Gods, Lord Death was Nergal. Famine was Ninhursag, War was Ninurta, and Conquest was Anu. Three of them died before the Great war, it is a mystery how they died as they all did so when they were separate. The next generation were collected by Lord Death, they were all humans that somehow had been touched by their Horsemen namesake. But then… the man that held title of Conquest died during the Great War. And his successor was the current Conquest… and this one is… well… to put it mildly bitter about the world. The new Conquest didn't get the job description or maybe he wanted to end the world who knows. But in the end it doesn't matter, Conquest made his move toward the end of the war. He leaked information to the Angels that War had begun to help all sides in an effort to keep the war going on longer than it could have been. And then tricked Famine into an ambush where she died. All of this was to kill them so that way he could find the new Horsemen and turn them from their duty to his way of thinking. It had worked, the current War and Famine were found by Conquest as Lord Death was unaware of his true intentions. But Conquest had miscalculated the power Lord Death had, Lord Death had many more advantages on the three younger Horsemen. But Lord Death made a mistake, he let them live. He hoped that by beating them he had taught them a lesson and they would fall in line."

"Not a smart move." Dante said before being shh'd.

"Don't interrupt my stories boy. Conquest did not learn a lesson or at least the one Lord Death wanted him to learn. Conquest began looking for any cracks in Lord Death's armor. And he found one… one that I don't have the privilege of speaking about." Julio said before grunting like something had hit him in the gut. "But I will say it was a person. A person that Lord Death cared for and so… Conquest captured them and called Lord Death out… and Lord Death ran away. He turned his back on this person… I want to believe it was because he knew it was a trap and chose duty before personal attachments but that is not exactly the prevailing opinion within Hell. The person died in Conquest's fit of anger at losing Lord Death but something that to this day baffles everyone… Conquest was able to banish Lord Death. No one know how he did this but it was done. And so now we have the current situation." Julio said looking quite pleased with himself over his story telling skills.

"You never answered my question." Dante said bluntly causing his grandfather to sip into pained embarrassment.

"I… suppose I didn't. All we need to do is kill the Horsemen and new ones will be made. We find these Horsemen and teach them that they are meant to wait for the signal to start the apocalypse."

"And that signal is?"

"Who knows…" Julio waved off as he began his walk back to the manor leaving the two teens slightly irritated.

* * *

Later that night Dante was seriously considering why he had agreed to let Issei and Asia handle dinner. They had prepared far to much food. And it was so oniony and almost everything had potatoes in it. To someone who considered food to his passion the whole thing felt like an insult. Almost, he had to at least give credit to Asia, she wasn't half bad. He assumed Issei just did what he was told.

"I then I wrapped my arm around his neck. He bucked back but I held on." Jacob said as he told a story of his time growing up on a farm. Clio, Issei, Asia and Yuuto were listening intently for various reasons. Rias, Akeno, Anthony, Uberti and Julio all paid enough attention to laugh at the appropriate times but little more. Meanwhile Dante and Koneko were ignoring Jacob and even sharing a glare at him now and then. The two Rooks still saw Jacob as a threat, Dante to his relationship with Rias and Koneko did so out of a sense of loyalty and admiration for her follow Rook. To Dante's credit he was able to keep his moods in check enough to keep the temperature from dropping to sub-zero. But Rias still noticed the change in her boyfriend and Koneko as well and knew that she needed to move the attention from Jacob to… anything else.

"So Issei, did you learn anything today?" Rias said trying to shift the topic to the training and away from Jacob. Unfortunately, Rias' question while it did take away the focus from Jacob it seemed to have depressed Issei.

"Not well… I learned I'm the weakest link on this team." Issei said hanging his head a little. Rias was about to say something to try to encourage him but Julio beat her to it.

"My dear boy, you have already finished half of the issue. If you know you are the weakest on the team then you have nowhere to but up. Every bit of training you do helps your team that mush more because you are the weakest." Rias smiled advice the elder Alighieri gave, she could see where Dante got his insight from as she remembered back to the time he met his mother she also seemed to be able to tell just what people were feeling… but she didn't exactly use this gift for the betterment of those around her.

"He's right Issei…" Rias started. "you shouldn't sell yourself short. And you certainly shouldn't feel useless. Between Asia's healing abilities and your Boosted Gear the two of you are great assets…" Everyone ignored Clio snickering at that word. "… but you need to be aware that you're opponent will also know this. You both need to gain enough power to escape from trouble you can't handle on your own." Issei and Asia both agreed and Issei in particular looked like he took this seriously. Rias smiled continued as she watched her Pawn grow as person. But now she felt like there was very little else she could do to keep things from turning the room into a winter wonderland. "Right, Asia and Issei that was a good meal but I think we will let Dante handle the cooking from now on." Everyone in the room minus the two newcomers all rapidly agreed and Dante looked as if a pressure had been lifted off him. "And now I think it would be a good idea if we head to the baths now." That made Issei have a kneejerk reaction that Dante had yet to… _teach_ … out of him.

"You're all going to the baths together?!" Issei said excitedly as he stood up. Dante quickly pulled the Pawn down back into his chair.

"That was the plan. Yuuto could you show the boys where your side of the bath is." Rias said before walking out of the room with the females of the room following. The males all watched them leave with various thoughts all in their heads. They only snapped out of it when a blue Portal opened in the middle of the table.

"Hey guys!" Zeiveist announced as he stuck his head out of the Portal. "Did Issei get shot down to join them in the baths yet… AH!" Zeiveist screamed and retreated back in the Portal before Dante's scythe could decapitate him.

* * *

Later in the baths.

"Ah… this feels wonderful." Clio bubbled from beneath the water as she moved from one end to the next, the top half of her head sticking out. "It really washes away the pain."

"And what pain do you have?" Akeno asked with a smile but the tone was slightly cold. It wasn't that Akeno didn't like Clio, though on most days it was more like indifference, it was just the last day Clio had done little but gush over Jacob. Akeno wasn't in the mood to hear such things as her own boyfriend was unable to come along due to the trip taking them out of official Gremory Territory and as such Minamoto would be likely a target for the many hitmen standing by to try their luck on collecting the payday his family would provide.

"Lots." Clio said raising out of the water a little. She heard the venom in the words and didn't care. "Would it be so wrong to have the boys come on our side?" There was a slight thud from the other side of the marble wall… then another that sounded more like a well-placed hit to the head. "I know they would enjoy it."

On the Boys side of the bath.

Dante didn't know who to be more disappointed in. Issei or his grandfather. Issei he expected but his grandfather? He was conflicted on that one, he had no idea that his own flesh and… well… neither of them had blood but still his own family was a pervert.

"Why do you abuses your grandfather so?" Julio whimpered mock tears as he rubbed the top of his head.

"Because I will not accept any disreputable behavior." Dante said sternly as he soaked in the large bath. Issei was still trying to see through the wall while Anthony and Yuuto also just soaked the stress of the day away. Jacob had dropped out of a shared bath and headed to his room early. It made Dante smile at the thought the man might be uncomfortable with his own body… unlike himself. But that had caused Dante to berate himself for pumping up his own ego, something his stepfather did at every turn so Dante had learned well to avoid that.

"My grandson… a prude… where did I fail." Julio comically cried. "Oh Lord Death, please forgive my son and his unfun ways."

* * *

Later that night.

Rias and Dante were sitting on a platform of ice Dante had made on top of the manor. They both wanted to stare up at the stares like that night on Dante and Minamoto's apartment building. Rias was on a lawn chair like las time but it was mostly due to the cold surface. Dante was perfectly fine on the ice and had made his own chair out of the platform.

"We really should learn their names." Dante chuckled as he pointed up the patterns of stars up in the sky. Rias joined him in a small laugh.

"We should… but I think it's more fun making up names and pretending what they mean." They continue to enjoy the starry night until Dante spoke again.

"Rias… have I been… a bit moody lately. Because I feel like I've been a lot more angry and pissed off lately." Rias thought the question over and to her surprise she found herself agreeing with the theory. Dante never got angry at her or any of their friends, she would even say he didn't actually get mad at Issei… it just looked like it. The two of them would have arguments but they would be over pity small things that neither of them really cared for and it was mostly their stubborn nature more than anything. But so much in the past few weeks had gotten under her boyfriend's skin. Raiser being the biggest. There had also been Zeiveist's meddling that while it did bring them together still felt like a massive invasion of their privacy but then again everything about Zeiveist Charon felt that way. And now there was Jacob that was a constant reminder of the issue that both Dante and Rias hated more than anything, Arranged Marriages.

"There has been a lot to be angry about." Rias sighed before pulling Dante over for a kiss. "But soon so much of those things will be behind us." And just like that, all of Dante's worries and fears melted away. That was the effect Rias had on him, even before they were officially a couple she could make everything about the world feel so right. The moment was ruined/enhanced by the sound of the song _Can You Feel the Love Tonight_ from the Loin King movie, midway through the song. The two looked two to the ground and saw Zeiveist holding a boom box over his head. "He does try his hardest for us." Rias chuckled while Dante just sighed before throwing a snow ball at Zeiveist.

"He can try all he likes but he's still annoyingly into appearing when we are trying to have a private moment."

The ten days went by quickly, everyone worked their hardest to train and grow even the littlest stronger in preparation for the coming Rating Game. The training days were ended with Issei showing the most improvement with a blast that damaged the nearby mountain. A feat that left everyone's jaw dropped, some were able to catch themselves faster than others. And around noon the next day after they returned to the Occult Research Clubhouse they were all waiting for the arrival Grayfia. Yuuto was polishing his sword, Koneko putting on her fighting gear, Rias and Akeno calming themselves with tea, Asia was trying to be as patient as possible and Issei and Dante were off in the corner discussing a certain battle plan.

"I know what you were doing in the forest at night." Dante said darkly. Issei began sweating at the glare Dante was giving him but he knew lying was the wrong move.

"I'm so sorry Sensei! But this is what I'm good at! I now I should be better but…" Dante shhh'd Issei.

"As long as you use this power for good and not evil then I don't care. Do you know how you can use it for good?" Issei shook his head not knowing where Dante was going with this. "Using it on Raiser." Issei's face contorted in horror at the prospects of using his new power on Raiser. "Listen. The only thing keeping me from permanently cutting off the thing that makes Raiser a man is his tacky suit. My Blade of Finally only works on first contact, so unless Raiser has no clothes on… I can't cut the bastard."

"But but but but but… I named it Dress Break because I wanted to use it on dresses and stuff."

"Raiser is a immortal dumbass… my Sacred Gear is the only thing that will affect him and so I need that bastard bare." Seeing that Issei was still on the fence about the whole thing Dante had to pull out his trump card. "Issei… if you do this for me. I give you my blessing… to remember the morning you saw Rias naked."

"Really?"

"You have to ask her too… after the Rating Game. But she'll likely say yes." Dante wasn't sure on that part, he was going on how open Rias was with her body before they were together but he wasn't clear on her policy now. So he made sure to add on the whole you need to ask Rias first just to be safe.

Soon Grayfia arrived and informed them that everything had been set up and that she would be taking them to the battlefield. Once everyone was in the circle they were flashed with the normal light of a magic transport circle. But to Issei and Asia's surprise they were still in the Old Schoolhouse. Akeno explained to them that they were in a separate space molded after Kuoh Academy and since it wasn't real they could do as much damage as they wanted.

"Your attention please…" Grayfia's voice sounded around the peerage and the battle space. "… welcome everyone. My name is Grayfia and a servant in the service of the house of Gremory. I will be refereeing this Rating Game. To create the battlefield you will competing in, I took suggestions from both Lady Rias and Lord Raiser. You may recognize this place as an exact replica of Kuoh Academy, an educational institution in the human world."

"What does that mean?" Issei asked before being directed to the window to see the green sky, shocking both Issei and Asia.

"Shut it. Let's get this started." Dante growled scaring Issei and Asia

"Each team has been given a area that will serve as a home base. Lady Rias will have the Occult Research Clubhouse in the old schoolhouse. While Lord Raiser will occupy the principle's office in the new schoolhouse. Pawns can be promoted once they have reached the enemy home base."

"All right! I'm going to get in there and get promoted to something awesome and beat the shit out of lord douche-nozzle." Issie said completely confident in his plan.

"Yeah… that's not happening." Dante said as he brought out his scythe through the palm of his hand. "You will be here waiting while Akeno sets traps for the incoming sluts and then coming with me and Koneko when we let out… our trump card." At that Dante grinned savagely.

"Yes Dante you can let Cerberus out. But make sure to keep its path of destruction away from Raiser's home base. Issei can't get promoted if the office is in ruins." Rias said as she handed out small magic beads to help with communication. "And if Raiser joins the fight to quickly then things are going to get difficult. We are still outnumbered and even though when have a way around Raiser's immortality we still need to get you and him in fair combat. And we can't do that if he has help."

"So our plan is for me to trap the surrounding area and have Yuuto finish off anyone caught in it." Akeno said before flying out of the room to start on her task.

"Issei." Dante called over. "I need you to lay on the table." Dante ordered with that dangerous look that Issei knew might that there wasn't any refusing what was asked. Issie quickly did as instructed and Rias followed by sitting behind Issei's head, Dante then walked over to Issei and held his hand over his stomach. Eight red ice shards appeared in Issei's body.

"What the shit?" Issei said as he looked down to the impaling frozen shards.

"When you became my pawn, I gave you eight pieces." Rias started. "But what I didn't tell you when this happened was the amount of power you received. But you had gained it all at once your body wouldn't have been able to take it. So me and Dante casted a blocker on this power."

"These shards block and weaken the power flowing through your body, this way we can unlock your power at a rate you can handle." At that Dante reached for the shard impaling his right leg and pulled it out. Issei expected it to hurt but he never even felt it and once it was out he felt like a weight he never noticed was lifted.

"Wow… that felt… weird… but good weird."

"This is only the start. You still have six more blockers to go through." Dante said as the shards sunk back into Issei's body. "The stronger your body is the more you can handle."

"So you guys have been running me ragged because it was good for me." Issei said with tears rolling down his face.

"Why do think we would do that. Now get up, we have destruction to bring upon." Dante said as he walked out of the room with Koneko following behind him. Issei quickly got up and started to follow them out.

"Issei." He stopped and looked back to Rias. "Make sure you keep him from dying out there."

"Sure… I'll do anything for you or Dante." Issei said giving a thumbs up before following the rooks out. When he walked out of the old schoolhouse his jaw dropped. In front of him was a three story turtle like monster with three worm like head coming out the front.

"Hey, get up here!" At that Issei was… eaten by the left head and then regurgitated on to the Glutton's rocky back. Issei was drenched in sticky saliva, he was unable to comprehend just what happened. "Hey." Dante said completely innocently.

* * *

"Raiser is displeased at what he is seeing." Raiser said as he watched the massive affront to his eyes crash into the gymnasium. Rias' two Rooks and her single Pawn stood on the three heads. He had planned on taking that area as a staging fake ground while three of his pawns went the long way from the rear. But now this… thing had ruined his plans.

"My lord… what it is it you wish to do?" His Queen asked.

"Proceed with the rear flank. And send both Rooks with the original three pawns. That boy can't possibly be worth any more than that. And you shall be on standby in case the Grim brat manages to pull some miracle and beat his opponent."

* * *

Dante watched as the gymnasium crumbled under Cerberus' feet. he wanted to move forward to the math classes, it would bring him no small amount of satisfaction from destroying them.

"Odd it's taking so long for the to counter attack?" Issei asked from the right head bringing Dante back from his thoughts. "I mean were not being that sneaky here."

"No arguing that!" The Gremory Devils looked down to the roof of the school and saw four women and two girls. Dante grunted at the sight of them, he still very much disagreed with what they appeared to be for Raiser.

"Issei… Gear now." Dante ordered as he formed a torrent of ice shards across the Devils. "Start boosting while we handle them." Dante said before raining down the frozen projectiles, the two Rooks behind the frozen storm. Dante moved to the Rook with the mask over half her face while Koneko the other Rook. The two free heads of Cerberus distracted the Pawns while Issei continued to Boost his power. "How nice that I find a barehanded fighter." Dante said as he pressed on with his attacks on the masked Rook. "Not only that…" Dante smirked as the ground around them grew frozen and frosted over. "But that want to be playboy has his lackeys wear so little… makes you just that much more weak to me." Dante smirked but in that moment of confidence was hit to the face sending him skidding back.

"If you think a little chill could bother me you'll be sadly mistaken." The Rook said as she walked toward Dante. "I am Isabella of the honorable Lord Raiser Phenex…" She said as she pulled Dante by his collar and prepared to finish him off with one last punch to the face. "And you are nothing compared to him!" She yelled out as she punched Dante only for the body to shatter in to millions of pieces of ice.

"Aw… to bad… but I'm fighting for a little more than a few extra hours in the sack." Dante said from behind the Rook before motioning to the shattered pieces that shot forward at the Rook. The Rook was saved a painful death by the Rating Game eliminating her.

"One of lord Raiser's Rooks have been eliminated." Grayfia announced. Dante turned to the near by fight, seeing Koneko holding her own against the other Rook and Issei starting his attack… yup… he just used his new power. Dante slid his hand over his face in embarrassment before ordering Cerberus to finish off the Pawns as they were unwilling to defend themselves while naked. Grayfia quickly announced the eliminations.

"What the hell man?!" Issei yelled at Dante with tears running down his face.

"This war, not a peep show. Know what we're fighting for. Rias' freedom." Dante said before starting off to Koneko and her fight. He waved his fellow Rook signaling her to send her opponent over to him. With a punch she sent the Phenex Rook towards Dante, Dante caught the flying girl on his scythe, the force of the impact eliminated her instantly. "And with that… we have won round one." Dante said as he watched the various holes in the roof for anyone hoping to catch them off guard. "We need to get moving, we still have two Knights, Bishops, five pawns, and a Queen." Dante had been a bit worried about the Queen, while Raiser would be over confident and likely not excepting his Blade to actually wound him, Dante could lose that if he showed his hand to quickly. And he didn't think he take on Raiser's Queen without it.

"So what do we do now." Koneko asked as she approached the two boys. Dante continued to watch for signs of attack from the roof but he neglected attack from the air. There was only a second of warning for Dante to raise a wall of ice between them and the coming explosion.

* * *

"And they have lost their Rook." Julio said as he and the other heads of the Nergal family watched the Rating Game. "And here I thought that we were going to get perfect game."

"Enough, we are not hear to listen to your jokes. We are here to judge your grandson." The man at the head of the table said, never taking his eyes off the screen while he rested his head on his crossed fingers. "He shows promise… but I would like to see him more in combat. Alone. Without the others."

"His mastery of Chill is impressive. He takes to it like it was as natural as breathing." Another said.

"I've heard when angered the surrounding temperature drops in response. A clear sign of his skill. Few reach such a level at a early age.

"I wish to see his Crown, Julio, have you seen it?"

"No I have not, but from the way he and his King are so confident I assume it is either End or Frost. Or the Gremory girl has something else planned."

"Did anyone notice the fact the other boy has the Boosted Gear?" A few looked closer at Issei while others nodded, a few grunted dismissively. "The Red Dragon Emperor could be a great Ally for one of our own."

"Regardless, as I said before this is to judge Dante Alighieri and no one else. It is his performance here that decides his standing with us." The man at the head of the table turned his eyes on Dante's grandfather. "He may be what you claim but should he join this House, he will up hold the name of Nergal." Julio forced himself to stop the gulp that was trying to sound from him. What he neglected to tell his grandson and Rias was that Jacob maybe a placeholder for Dante but that could change at the whim of the heads of house. Should Dante do anything that would disfavor himself to the house then they would keep the marriage contract between Rias and Jacob for simple spite.

* * *

Dante looked over the shattered edges of the shield he had made for him and Issei. His eyes looked around for any sign of Koneko. He then focused on her body under a slab of concrete before she disappeared in a blue flash.

"One of Lady Rias' Rooks has been eliminated." Dante teeth grinded as the announcement come over the battlefield. He quickly snapped out of the rage that had come and reinforced the shild all around him and Issei in case of another attack.

"Oh damn… looks like I hit the wrong one." Dante looked up to see Raiser's Queen flying above them. "Now come out little boys and give up the fight. You won't win, you can't win."

"Oh shut up!" Dante said from the dome of ice. "I can feel the sexual frustration from getting such piss poor performance from down here!" Dante baited. "Oh Raiser you're so good… said no one!" Dante continued to do this as the Queen Yubelluna rained down explosion after explosion at the dome. Dante and Issei had already dropped down into the school from a hole made by Dante through the roof.

"Is the fool dead yet?" Yubelluna growled out when she noticed the taunts had ceased.

"No, they survived… your aim needs improving." The Phenex Queen turned around to see the Gremory Queen flying a few feet behind her.

"I see, but that won't be the case for long. You all have no hope, lord Raiser will beat that repulsive Grim into the ground." Yubelluna smirked.

"My my… it seems Dante really does have me beat when it comes to getting under your peerage's skin." Akeno chuckled.

"On that we can agree…" She said before sending a blast of fire toward Akeno.

* * *

"Why are we watching this garbage brother?" Famine asked as he chucked a severed head across the room. "We already checked that piece of trash he's not… Ooo… there's that half-breed I played with."

"Be quiet! The Reaper caught my eye and I wish to watch him fight a Immortal." Conquest said as he watched the slightly damaged screen. The three Horsemen were in a small outpost at the very edges of Hell and caught the guards while they were distracted watching the Rating Game Though it wasn't like the three needed the advantage given who they were.

* * *

"Umm… Sensei? What's the plan now?" Issei asked as they took a small rest in one the classrooms. They were not far from the principal's office but neither of them knew exactly who might be guarding the room. It could be a single Pawn or Raiser himself. But to the two of them the latter would make things easier.

"We wait… Raiser still has too many pieces for us. We need to wait until we have gotten him down to as little many pieces as we can get. The less they have the less I have to deal with when I cut that jackass's manhood off." Dante growled out in such a way that sent chills down Issei's spine and made him reach for his crouch in defensive instinct.

"I hate that douche too but Sensei… I think you might be taking this a bit…" Issei shut up at the glare he got from Dante.

"You haven't see Rias cry over this. You haven't heard of what she would have to suffer through if we lose. I am not just beating Raiser, I'm making a statement to everyone in Hell. Rias has made her choice and no one has the power to change that." As if the world had decided to make sure that the conversion ended there.

"Three Pawns in the service of Lord Raiser have been eliminated."

"Good, that leaves him with only two Pawns left. So all we have to deal with is them and two Knights, the Bishops, and Raiser himself." I'm sure Akeno can handle that bitch." Dante said as he walked pass Issei and out into the hallway. "Come on!" Issei rushed to follow Dante after his command. The hallway seemed to be way more scary to Issei with it empty and dark. They rounded another corner and saw the door to the principle's office with a small light emanating from it.

As they moved toward the office Issei couldn't stop thinking about what Dante had said. He hadn't seen her cry or thought once about what might happen to her if they lost… to Issei's credit he didn't think they could lose. But the mare idea of Rias drying filled him with so much anger, it was because of her that Issei was where he was. It was because of Dante that he was the person he was. He owed so much to the two of them. If it wasn't for them he would most likely be at Matsuda's house watching some porno but no, he was a badass Devil on track to become king of the harems. (He's still Issei) So he was going to fight, he was going to fight with everything he had, because that is what Rias and Dante deserved out of him, that was the bare minimum what he could do for them.

"Do you think Raiser is in there?"

"Not sure… but I think someone is." Dante crouched down and tried his best to sneak over to the door. He leaned in closer to try and hear anything going on inside. Not hearing any feminine moans he assumed that either Raiser was alone or not in at all. He pushed the door open and saw a blond girl sitting on the desk wearing a very pink dress. But to Dante's luck she was facign the other way.

"Took you long enough." She said in an annoyed tone. "Brother is going to…" She stopped when Dante's blade touched her neck.

"So… you are Raiser's sister… that's disgusting." Dante said bluntly but he didn't actually believe what he implied, just said it as a tactic to throw her off balance or to possibly get insight on Raiser.

"Oh please get your mind out of the gutter you piece of trash." The girl said with what appered to be without fear of the very sharp blade against her neck. But Dante could see that see was nervous, likely she had yet to live through her first true death and rebirth. The whole Phenex family disgusted Dante, they shunned Lord Death so blatantly. Life only meant something if it could end, at least Devils could die from other means if not age but the Phenex family did not. He wasn't sure if he cut off one their heads with his Blade of Finality that they would actually die or if they would have a headless horsemen type of situation. "I simply wanted to be part of my brother's peerage because I was bored."

"Very well… but you are still an enemy. But maybe we could work something out…" That had caught the girl's attention. "Tell your brother to forfeit and I won't remove his ability to sire children." The girl laughed at Dante's threat.

"You! Threaten a Noble of the House of Phenex? How…" Her eyes widened at the sight of Dante's Crown of Death and then at the moving engravings on his blade as they tried to reach out to her flesh. The engraved skeletons reached out and began pulling at bands of light around her neck, and each one they ripped apart she felt like a piece of her feel… vulnerable. But then she remembered the weakness of this Blade of Bone. It could only work on first contact. And her brother had a full suit on. The Only reason this Grim had been able to reach her neck was because he sneaked up behind her. "You won't win, Raiser will win and you will be nothing but memory for Rias." She watched as the Grim Reaper removed his Crown of Death and pulled his blade away. "So you see…" She stopped talking once Dante smacked her upside the head with the back of his scythe.

"That's better… Issei!" Dante called out to the hallway. "Promote to Knight, we need the speed if your going to be able to land a hand on Raiser." At that Issei looked away trying to be as small as he could. He still had… issues with this plan. Issues that were still hard to overcome even with Dante's promise. But before Issei could voice this they heard another announcement from Grayfia.

"Lady Rias' Queen has been eliminated." That shocked both Dante and Issei.

"Damn… Raiser still has his Queen. I'm not liking our odds here." Dante said trying to think out a strategy. He remembered what Rias had told him of Raiser's Queen, Yubelluna the Bomb Queen, focuses on explosions and lived up to her nickname with her proficiency with them. Dante could likely handle her with any assistance from either Issei or Yuuto. The problem was there was still a uncounted for Bishop and Dante had no clue what she could do. And then the Knights, Dante was sure that either he our Yuuto could finish them off, Issei not so much. And lastly the Pawns, if they got to the Clubhouse then things were really in trouble. "I think we might need to regroup and figure out a new plan.

"Yeah… um… how?" At that Dante smiled again. the next thing Issei knew… everything was crashing down around him and then he rose up into the air. He looked down and saw that Cerberus had once again come out to play. The school lay in complete ruins as the massive monster crashed through the building like it wasn't even there. The three heads moved back and forth as if they were sniffing out where the closest meal was as they lick their faces with their elongated tongues. The Glutton then began moving towards the old schoolhouse. Its feet creating disk like imprints with each step. "Hey! over there!" Issei pointed to the track field where Yuuto was in combat with one of Raiser's knights. The rest of the Peerage watching the whole thing in a semi-circle around the fight. But they stopped watching when they heard the incoming footsteps. "Okay… now they've seen us… what now?"

"This." Dante said with the most evil smile Issei had ever seen on him. "Yuuto, I'm going to let Cerberus do that thing it did with the Ovinnik!" The second Dante yelled down that warning to Yuuto, the Knight's face went pale and he started running to the nearest tree to get to the top of it, momentarily forgetting that he could simply fly above the incoming nastiness. It was much to the dismay of the Phenex Knight who was calling Yuuto a coward and the confusion of the other Phenex girls. Their confusion was cleared up when they turned back around and to their horror saw a wave of Glutton vomit and digestive fluid come roaring toward them. Yuuto was saved from the horrible fate of the Phenex Devils as the flood of half disgusted sludge didn't reach the top of the tree he was holding on to… but the smell did.

"Lord Raiser's remaining Pawns, Knights, and one of his Bishops have been eliminated." Grayfia announced over the sound of Dante laughing at the misfortune of the fallen Devils.

"Well that certainly was one way to finish them off." Rias said as she touched down on the head Dante was standing on with Asia next to her. "All that is left is Raiser and his Queen and one more Bishop."

"Nah, the Bishop is out could somewhere in the ruins." Dante pointed to the mess that was the school. "I'm sure she's fine." Dante said sarcastically before turning serious. "And know we are left with Lord soon to be neutered and the eventual Queen of…" Dante stopped when he saw Asia staring at him, completely innocent and uncorrupted by the world. "Never mind."

"But where is Raiser?" And just like that, they were answered but a ball of fire hitting Asia and eliminating her from the game.

"Right here my beloved Rias." Raiser announced from above them. Rias, Dante, and Issei all turned up to see Raiser flying there with his Queen next to him. "Why don't we end this now and you forfeit, it would make things so much easier on you."

"Never, I will never marry you! I love Dante and no one else, and nothing you do can change that!"

* * *

"Boo! Get back to the fighting!" Famine yelled as he threw his drink at the screen.

"Shut up!" Conquest yelled.

* * *

"Even with that as it is my beloved Rias, that does not change the fact you will lose this match. And will remain betrothed to me. There is no one that can beat me. Not even…" Raiser stopped talking at being pushed a bit back by the three shards of ice impaling his shoulder. He looked back from the injury to see Dante flying toward him with his scythe mid-swing. Raiser's Queen moved to stop the Reaper but was soon preoccupied by Rias' own attacks. Raiser blocked Dante's swing with his hand, the blade cut into his skin but his healing powers were able to heal faster than the blade cutting into him could slice. "Ha, as I thought. You like all other lack the power to even truly wound Raiser."

"Quit talking like that!" Dante yelled as he covered his other hand in ice and stabbed Raiser in the gut. "Issei now!" Raiser looked behind him and saw Rias' Pawn move to touch him but before Issei could make contact both him and Dante were pushed back in a wave of fire and wind. It wasn't enough to eliminate either of them but enough to push them back. "Do you think Raiser a fool, Raiser is no fool and knows to do research on his opponents. Raiser know that you gutter trash Grim possess the God Mainer, the Blade of Finality. But your accursed Blade shall never touch Raiser's flawless skin. And Raiser saw that disgusting little power this urchin used on my servants, Raiser will never be defiled by such a perverted power." At that Raiser sent a stream of fire toward Issei, Dante was able to block the fire with a wall of Ice but unlike that time the fire was severely melting the wall.

"Issei… I don't the plan is going to work. This bastard is going to do everything in his power to avoid being touched by you." Dante said as he continued to pour in magical energy into the wall.

"Does that mean we can't beat this guy?!"

"No… just means that I'm going to have carve Raiser up until that suit of his opens up enough to where I can land a solid hit." Soon the flames died down and only because Yuuto had joined in and started attacking Raiser. "You stand back and try to Boost as much as you can." Dante said as he left to join Yuuto in attacking Raiser.

Issei looked down at his Boosted Gear, he was so useless. He knew that Dante was counting on his new power to give him an opening but he had shown it on those three Pawns and gave it away. Now Raiser was looking out for it.

"Hey… Red Dragon Emperor guy, if you can hear me at all then respond by lending me your power."

" **Dragon Booster!** " Issei felt a small increase to his overall power but not nearly enough.

"I need more than that! I ask you to fully connect with my emotions. Boosted Gear!"

" **Dragon Booster, Second Liberation!** " At that Issei was surrounded in a pillar of green energy that blasted the air around them throwing everyone off their balance a bit. They all turned to the new event and saw Issei come out of the pillar with his Boosted Gear having grown further. Raiser and Yubelluna were unconcerned and continued to fight but the Gremory Devils knew that when Issei's power increased like this it could only be good for them.

"Dante! Use your Sacred Gear on Raiser now!" Issei called out once Issei somehow understood what power gained. Dante looked suspiciously at Issei but brought out his Crown of the End anyways. He would trust his friend and student, as he knew that everyone in Rias' peerage understood what was at stake. The second Dante placed the band of metal around his head the blade on his scythe began glow a deep red and the engraving began moving out.

Raiser chuckled at the ploy. No matter what the Pawn thought he could do the Blade of Finality could only cut the first object it made contact with. After that it returned to a normal blade. Raiser then decided to make his point that they could not win and stood still as the attack came. The Grim swung his sword down, its destination was a slash across the chest.

" **Transfer!** " A green light shot from Issei's Boosted Gear and to Dante's scythe. And in the next few minutes everything seemed to stand still. Raiser was falling back, a gash across his chest and it wasn't healing back up in a flare of flames as per normal injuries. Everyone in the game and many watching were wide eyed as they watched the prince of the Phenex House fell from the sky with a grave injury. But soon Grayfia brought the moment back to the real world.

"Lord Raiser is no longer able to continue on, the game is here by called as a victory to Lady Rias of the Gremory House."

* * *

Author's notes

AND done… wow… that was a long to time coming. While I don't feel like I might have made the Raiser fight as long or intense as I would like it was how I think it would go down, with his arrogance being his downfall.

And at that we have hit the 100k mark. And I will be tabling this story for a while as I have seven other stories that need attention. I thank you all for your support and hope to hear from any of you in the reviews and remember that I am open to any PMs if you wish to know anything that might be coming up. It helps me work out the plot and details if I can talk about them. But until then… see you all next time.

Reviews

Ph0enix17 – Dante will get a second form move but just wait… sorry. But thank you very much for reviewing.

FluffySheepLion _ hey, welcome back and good bye… sorry. But thank you for keeping up with the story and I really thank you once again for Cerberus, it has become a great part of the story.

Superprime- doubt you will read this but thank you for taking the time to review. I understand that Dante is not exactly canon friendly. But I couldn't very well do anything like the canon, these are set in vastly different times and environments. Thank you for your take on my story.


	11. Announcement!

Sorry to everyone that has been waiting for a update. And sorry but this isn't what you wanted. But after looking over the story and reading other stories and growing as a writer... I have decided I hate this story in its current state. Just hate it... so I will fix it.

1\. I will be changing this to a DxD story without Dante's Inferno as a Crossover because... let's be honest... this story only pays lip service to the game. Dante will become a purely OC character. and this will free me up not to have to shoehorn things from Dante's Inferno. I will still be taking inspiration from the game as it is awesome.

2\. Dante... will have a harem. when I first made this story I had yet to read a harem done right. I now know it can be done. exactly who will be in the harem I am still deciding. Rias will still be the main focus however.

3\. Minamoto will be scraped in favor of better characters. Akeno will be in Dante's harem. I felt their relationship was too forced and only had surface possibility. Sorry to anyone that liked it.

4\. Dante's character will be getting minor reworking. I felt that his character was a bit all over the place, and needed to be focused into three sides that would interplay with each other. First, on the surface would be his Gentlemen's mask as I have called it. Acting in according to a set of rules his grandfather taught him to live by to be the perfect gentleman and thus win the hearts of women everywhere. Second, would his relationship with his Reaper side, he will both be devote to Death and resent him for taking his older sister who basically raised him in his early life. third, would be the deeply hurt man that is scared to let people get to close out of fear of losing them. I find this character set up to be much better defined and rounded for the main character.

And so, that is what I plan on. I will be working on this reworking and should have it all done by... winter... spring... depends on so many things. I thank you all for your willingness to forgive my perfectionism. ANd if you are pissed at me for this... go ahead... be mad... doesn't matter in the end. :P


	12. New Version out

The new story of is up, under the same name just under the High School DxD Amine stories. Or just go to my profile.

I ended up writing a whole new story built off this. So I will be putting this one under complete but no longer updating it.


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